Ghost or Alien? crossover
by Anily AKW-DPP
Summary: Xovr what Danny if moves? when he sees this thing in his room one night? when joins Jazz this group? when Danny's friend from long ago Tobias disappears? Jazz never finds out in MBK pre pp pre 2 during Animorphs books. original plot changes chap 16 up
1. Chapter 1

no own either of my fave series.

A/N: sorry it's sort of short... oh and i sort of changed the time lines so that the Animorphs and Danny/Sam/Tuck have the same ages. p.s., just in case the summary didn't really fit in the limit, Jazz never found out in My Brother's Keeper; pre PP, before to during Animorphs series. and this will pretty much be written in DP style, where it is in third person, maybe every once in a while in Animorphs/first person. so now we go to when Danny finds out...

Chapter One

"WHAT?!" Danny exclaimed. "I don't think I got that right. I thought you just said that we're _moving._"

"We are." Jazz muttered. "Mom and Dad decided last night."

The Halfa stared at his sister. "But- Sam and Tuck-"

"You're going to have to talk to each other via mail, email, text or calls." Jazz told him. "I'm still confused on why they want to go." She leaned against the wall of Danny's room, watching him pace.

Danny looked at Jazz. "But if we move, then what about the ghosts? The portal will still be open here and who'd watch over it?" _Come on, we can't move..._

Jazz thought a while. "Valerie said she'd take care of it with Sam and Tucker." She said finally.

The boy frowned. There really was no way out of this. He was going to move. "When?" He asked softly.

The red head sighed. "We're leaving this Friday."

Danny's eyes opened wide. "But today's Wednesday!"

Slowly his sister nodded. "You have today and tomorrow to say your goodbyes. We need to pack also."

Then she left her brother to himself and his thoughts.

-The next day-

"Mr. Lancer, I won't be here tomorrow." Danny told his teacher before he could scold him for being late once again.

The teacher sighed. "What is it now, Mr. Fenton?"

"My family's moving." Danny replied and then took his seat, wishing he could just disappear. He wished he didn't have to move... if only... _No, _he thought, shaking his head. He couldn't go ask Desiree. She might make it all mess up when she grants his wish.

Sam placed a hand on Danny's shoulder. "You're moving?" She repeated.

The boy nodded. "Jazz told me what my parents had decided. Today's my last chance to say my goodbyes."

"But what about Phantom?" Tucker whispered. "People will wonder why he's gone and then the town..."

"I know, I know. Jazz says Valerie is willing to take care of the portal. And I guess Phantom can appear later today and say that he needs to move on. Maybe I can visit you guys every now and then. Mind taking care of the ghosts with Valerie?" Danny wondered. He didn't really like the idea of leaving Amity but he had no choice but to...

His friends shrugged. "OK, but don't forget us." Sam told him as Lancer started the lesson.

-that afternoon-

"AH! GHOSTS!" Someone yelled.

His buddy rolled her eyes. "Stupid, that's Inviso-Bill."

Danny Phantom sighed. Even though he had a logo, some just didn't realize his name wasn't Inviso-Bill.

Right now, Danny was outside of the tv station that had Tiffany Snow and that other guy on it. **(A/N: sorry if Tiffany does weather and the guy does live I forgot and if Tiffany doesn't sound like herself or if anyone else is OOC)**

"Tiffany! The ghost-boy is here!" One of the station's helpers yelled in his head piece.

Quickly, Tiffany was outside the building and the camera guy next to her. "Phantom! What brings you here? A ghost attack?" She yelled.

The Halfa shook his head. "No, there isn't an attack. I have to tell Amity something."

"Well, you're on live! What is it that you want Amity to know?" Tiffany wondered.

The boy sighed. "I need to move on."

Tiffany cocked her head to the side. "What do you mean? You're leaving Amity Park?"

"Yes. Maybe for forever, maybe I will come back, I'm not sure." Danny said. "I just have to leave. But it's not my choice. I just have to."

"When are you leaving?" The camera man wondered.

"I will be leaving at ten o'clock AM tomorrow." Danny stated. _Well, Phantom is going to be, Fenton won't leave until eleven._ He thought.

The woman cocked an eyebrow. "But why? Why leave Amity Park?"

Danny sighed. He had hoped he wouldn't have to explain why... "I just... I... I don't have a choice, like I said. I..."

"OK, we get that. But then, where are you off to? I'm sure some people will want to be near you." Tiffany stated.

"I don't know, somewhere. But I'll try to come back time to time. Amity will still see me, but I'm not sure when." Danny had lied about the first part, he did know where they were moving to, but he couldn't say... for some reason he wasn't sure of just yet.

"Well, then, Phantom, is there anything else you would like to tell Amity Park?" Tiffany wondered.

The camera man zoomed in on Danny's face. "Um... well, I'd like you to know that even though I'm leaving, there will still be the Red Huntress to deal with the ghosts, and maybe the hunters who always try to take me apart 'molecule from molecule.'" Danny did some sort of salute. "Until tomorrow or next time, Amity."

The boy turned invisible and flew into an alley where he turned into his human side before becoming visible again. He then went off to Sam's house.

-9:00 AM the next day-

"Wow, look at all those people waiting for Phantom." Danny said as he walked past the park. Apparently, they must have canceled at least the morning periods of class because he saw Dash and Paulina in the mix of people.

"Danny! Wait up!" Sam called from behind him.

Danny turned and saw her and Tuck running towards him.

"Hey guys." He glanced back at the crowd. "Did they cancel school just for Phantom?"

"No, they did it because they wanted to give us a free day." Tucker rolled his eyes, his voice pure sarcasm.

Sam elbowed their friend in the stomach. "Yeah, they did. They didn't want the fans of Phantom to miss their chance to see him before he leaves."

The blue eyed boy nodded then stared off into space. "So what do you guys want to do until I leave?"


	2. Chapter 2

skipped right from the end of chapter one to the first day at the new city

no own either show or series

CHAPTER TWO

**(I forgot what grade the Animorphs are in... so let's pretend they're all the same age (that means the story ages may be changed for the Animorphs))**

The half ghost sighed. He flopped onto his new bed, in his new room, in his new house, in a new city.

Right now it was 10 AM in **(-still-can't-say-or-my-twin-Tobias-will-hurt-me and no Tobias Fangor isn't really my twin)** on Saturday. The boy was trying to think of what to do that day, if he should find out where everything was, try not to hint that his parents were hunters, if he should meet the other teens around the city, talk with Sam and Tuck, play Doom...

Danny thought a while. "Let's see who's who around here- don't want to run into this city's Dash a lot..." He walked down the stairs, told his parents and Jazz who were still unpacking, though he had already finished, what he was going to do, then left the house...

And then ran right into another guy.

Both found themselves on the floor, rubbing their heads.

The other teen had blond-light brown hair and brown eyes **(i haven't read an Animorphs book in a while, are his eyes actually brown?).** He had sort of the same build of Danny- looks thin, weak, etc... He was also wearing a white shirt, jeans and a brown jacket **(look at his outfit on book 13). **"Sorry, I wasn't looking at where I was heading," He said as they stood up. "I'm Tobias."

"Danny," They shook hands.

"Are you new here?" Tobias wondered. They started walking off together.

"Um, yeah... My parents and sister Jazz are with me. What about you?" Danny replied.

Tobias half frowned. "My parents are dead. I move from coast to coast between my aunt and uncle who rarely realize I'm there and when they do I move again."

"Sorry dude, I didn't know." Danny said.

The other boy shook his head. "Nah, it's OK. I don't really tell that many people about that."

_He's gotta catch them all 'cause he's Danny Phantom Danny P-_ Danny quickly opened his cell phone before the song could finish.

"One minute," He said to Tobias. "Danny here."

"_So hows the city?_" Tucker's voice asked on the other line.

Danny rolled his eyes. "Tuck, I just left the house a few minutes ago. How am I supposed to know how the city's like if I barely saw any of it and only met one person?" He covered the mouth piece. "Excuse anything I say that may be wrong. My best friend will most likely be asking if there's anyone he can date here or something like that." He told Tobias before Tucker spoke again.

"_Is that person a girl?_" Tuck asked.

"Just asked if you were a girl," Danny told Tobias. He then uncovered the mouth piece. "No, it's a dude named Tobias and no, I haven't seen any girls you can ask out."

"_Hey!_" Tucker sounded slightly offended. Tobias was just barely keeping himself from laughing.

"Anyway..." Danny said, rolling his eyes. "Is there another reason why you called or just that?"

Tucker was rolling his eyes on the other side as well. "_No, just wanted to see that and to see if you were OK so far. No ghosts yet?_"

"No, none yet. What about back there?" Danny wondered. He saw Tobias raising an eyebrow. "Personal stuff." He told him.

"_No, well see you._" Tucker said.

"Bye." Danny hanged up.

"What grade are you in?" Tobias wondered. He really hoped he hadn't just talked with a person older than him that may be popular where he came from.

"Eh... ninth..." Danny answered after he thought a while.

Tobias was slightly confused. It seemed like Danny barely went to school or if he did, he didn't know what was going on or he just didn't go that much. At least they were in the same grade. "Do you know your schedule yet?"

This time Danny was sure of his answer. "No, I'm getting it Monday when I get there."

"Want a tour of the school or town? I've been here long enough to make myself familiar with the town again so we most likely won't get lost." Tobias stated. "And the keywords are 'most likely'."

They laughed. "It can't be that bad, can it?" Danny wondered.

"Just wait until you run into the bullies." Tobias replied, breaking the laughing matter.

Danny frowned. "I they can't be that bad, can they? Do they do anything more than beatings?"

The dirty blond boy thought. "I wouldn't really know, they just give me swirlies because 'they are trying to clean my hair.' My uncle is sort of the one who gives the beatings."

The Halfa nodded. "I know what you mean- the main bully back at Casper High is a Quarter Back."

Then, at the really wrong time, a strong gust of wind came, semi lifting up Danny's shirt, revealing part of a scar that ran down his right side.

"When did that happen?" Tobias wondered, mentally wincing. "Did the Quarter Back do that?"

The other boy suddenly noticed that his scar from one of his many battles with Skulker was showing. He covered up the scar the best he could. "I-it's nothing. Really," Danny stuttered.

Seeing that he didn't like to talk about it- like Tobias with his family- he changed the subject. "So where did you come from?"

Danny gave a half smile, since he saw that Tobias understood he didn't like talking about it. "Amity Park."

"The ghost filled town?" Tobias wondered.

"I don't know if this is good or not, but yeah, that's it." Danny replied.

"So you know the Fentons?" Tobias asked, though Danny had no idea how someone in -still-can't-say knew his family.

"Tobias, you're talking to their son." Danny stated.

The raven haired boy laughed as he saw the dirty blonde's expression. "Seriously?" Tobias said.

"Yep, I'm Danny Fenton, son of two ghost hunters." Danny replied. "Wait, how do you know my family? I didn't know that we were _that _famous,"

Tobias shook his head. "As far as I know, you aren't famous. But my aunt used to live in Amity- we met before, Danny."

It was now Danny's turn to be surprised. "Seriously?" He thought about it and realized he had met Tobias before, before he met Tucker or Sam. "Wait until Mom and Dad figure that out," He said.

The dirty blond smiled. "Wait until Jazz does. Remember what she used to do to us?"

The other boy smiled as well. "You mean dress us up as girls?"

"And make us play tea party?"

"And make us play with her dolls?"

"And when we hid Bearbert? Has she found him yet?"

"Yeah, she did. Man, I can't believe it's you! I know you said that you've been moving between your Aunt and Uncle, but where have you been?" Danny asked.

"I was shuffled off to my Uncle and during the time I was with him my Aunt moved." Tobias answered. "But still, it's good to see you again."

Danny thought a bit as they walked off some more. _I've known him longer than Sam and Tuck, even though we haven't been in touch much... Should I tell him?_ "Tobias... If I told you something that is pretty much insane yet true, would you still be OK with being my friend?"

Tobias looked at his friend as if he was just told that he was insane or his brother. "What do you mean? I mean, nothing can be bad enough for me to stop being your friend, well, nothing that I can think of."

Sighing, Danny thought about how he was going to explain to his friend that he was half dead. "Nothing. I just wanted to know just in case there is something like that I had as a secret."

"Well, dude, there's no need to worry. Nothing can be that bad, can it?" Tobias promised.

_Just wait until I actually decide to tell you..._ Danny thought as they continued talking about what they had been doing over the past few years.

-that night (this is Danny's chat with Sam and Tuck via email chat)-

DFenton: Hey guys

SManson: How's **-you-should-know-the-drill-** so far Danny?

TFoleyAKATooFine **(I don't really know if Tucker has an online name so this is what I think his is)** : Yeah, any girls now?

DFenton: *rolls eyes* Tuck, the answer is no. Ask me on a different day after I have seen more of the town. And Sam, the town's good so far. I just know that my old friend lives here.

TFoleyAKATooFine: Who? A girl?

SManson: Tuck, give him a break. He'll tell you when he meets one. Now what were you saying Danny?

DFenton: It's Tobias. His Aunt used to live in Amity before I met you guys. We were surprised when we found out that we had met before.

TFoleyAKATooFine: How did he get -?

DFenton: Apparently, he was sent back to his Uncle's home down here and had been sent back between the uncle and his aunt who had moved away from Amity. He moves to the other when the person he's currently with decides that they had enough of him.

SManson: That doesn't sound right. What happened to Tobias' parents?

DFenton: He told me this earlier... Right, he said that his mother is missing and his father died.

TFoleyAKATooFine: So he's like an orphan with an Aunt and Uncle who don't really care about him, right?

DFenton: That's pretty much the story.

SManson: So you meet anyone else? And Tuck, please don't say "any girls" or else.

DFenton: While Tobias and I were seeing what we had done over the past few years we passed through the mall for lunch where we sort of ran into these guys Jake and Marco- Tobias seems to respect Jake. Tobias also told me that he has a crush on Jake's cousin Rachel but he's not really sure if it's actual love or something.

TFoleyAKATooFine: coughlikecoughyoucough...

SManson: What was that Tucker Foley?!

DFenton: Better run dude!

TFoleyAKATooFine has changed his status to PLEASE DON'T HURT ME SAM!!

TFoleyAKATooFine has logged off.

SManson: Well, talk with ya later, I'll tell you how bad Tucker gets beaten up next time.

DFenton: Yeah, see you too. Bye

SManson has logged off.

Danny logged off of the chat and sat down on his bed. He felt like he wanted to go for a flight. He waited a while, listening for anything that may say that his parents or Jazz were still awake.

Nothing. Good.

The boy closed his eyes and let the rings make him Phantom. He opened them again and stood before finally leaving the room through the window.

Outside, Danny did several loops. It felt so good to fly with his powers instead of a plane. He sighed as he looked over the town. "It just doesn't feel right," He muttered. He was used to having the huge FentonWorks sign under him and some ghosts flying by that he would capture in the Thermos. "If only..." He stopped himself. HE wouldn't risk Desiree hearing him even though he was in -nowhere-.

He suddenly felt himself brush against something. He looked at the object which had turned out to be a person... or rather a ghost.

The ghost was one that Danny had not met yet, but she seemed familiar. She had the same wise eyes of Clockwork, the blue flaming hairstyle in red of Ember, the youth of Youngblood, the technology on her that could have been designed by Technus and made able to use as a warrior suit by Skulker, and seemed to have the power of morphing like Amorpho (Danny could tell because her right arm and right side of her face kept on changing features). She, as said earlier, was a young girl, maybe Danny's age, with flaming red hair, a suit that had weapons and technology on it, ever changing right arm and right side of face, pale skin, and red eyes that made her seem older than her actual age whether it was the age she was when she died or the age she has been dead.

Their eyes locked together for a few seconds until she faded away.

Confused, Danny stared at the spot where the ghost girl had been. She hadn't disappeared as in becoming invisible but as in actually dissolving. He sighed and continued flying for a few more minutes before returning to his room.


	3. Chapter 3

no own either show or series

CHAPTER THREE

Monday. The first day at a new high school.

Danny sighed. He waited outside the school but still on school grounds for Tobias who was going to show him around the school so he wouldn't get lost.

"Hey, you new here?" A dark skinned girl asked. She wore a white shirt under a plaided one and jeans that had some dirt on it; her hair was cut short, her eyes a dark brown color.

"Uh yeah..." Danny replied. He combed his hand through his hair. "I got here Saturday."

The girl nodded. "I'm Cassie **-no-last-name-**."

"Danny," They shook hands.

"Are you waiting for someone?" Cassie wondered.

Danny nodded. "My friend Tobias."

Cassie raised an eyebrow. "He actually talked to someone?"

"Well, we met before I moved here. Years ago, but we realized it after Tobias asked where I came from." Danny explained.

"Oh, OK. What's you schedule? If there's any class that you don't have with Tobias, maybe I can show you where they are." Cassie said.

"Here," Danny pulled the crinkled piece of paper from his bag. He handed it to Cassie.

"Hm..." Cassie began. "Tobias doesn't have your fifth and sixth period but I can show you where your fifth one is. I think you might be on your own for the sixth period unless you know other people here."

"What about uh Jake and Marco?" Danny asked, just barely remembering the names of the boys he and Tobias had ran into on Saturday.

"You know them? Well, Marco does have your sixth period. He actually has all of your classes but second, third, and eighth. Jake has all but fifth, sixth and eighth. So you pretty much have an escort to every class, Danny." Cassie answered.

"That's good- I think." Danny muttered.

"Cassie!" Cassie turned and they saw a blond with blue eyes waving at her. The blond was a bit taller than Cassie and Danny, and obviously went to the mall a lot.

"That's Rachel. I gotta go, see you later Danny!" Cassie called behind her as she went to her best friend.

"So that's Rachel." Danny mumbled. "No wonder he likes her."

"Hey Danny!" Tobias called as he walked up to him. "I see you met Cassie."

Danny nodded. "And I now know who Rachel is."

A faint reddish tone appeared on Tobias' cheeks. "Well, at least you know who I'm talking about."

"Don't worry, I won't tell." Danny promised.

The bell rang out, saying that first period was about to start.

-whatever-period-that-science-is-there's-gonna-be-trouble-

"Class, welcome Danny Fenton though I'm sure some of you already met him." The teacher said in a monotone voice as she wrote something down on the board, not really caring that there was a new student.

There was a small chorus of greetings to Danny. Danny nodded in reply before taking a seat.

"Now, last week we were deciding on who to be the host for our experiment. And since we pretty much know everyone here except Danny, who thinks he should be the host of it?" The teacher said.

"Host of what?" Danny whispered to Tobias.

"The government is letting us use this equipment that can let other people see the memories of a certain person." Tobias whispered back.

While Tobias was explaining this to his friend, the class had agreed on this-everyone but Cassie, Rachel, Jake, Marco and Tobias that is- so they could find out more about this new student without him having to do much of anything.

"Wait I-" Danny began.

"You'll do it? Great, Alan, place the gear on Danny."

"But I-" Danny tried to say he didn't want to do it but it seemed like the teacher wouldn't care if he disagreed.

The teacher stepped aside and Danny read what was on the board- "The inside of someone's mind- really."

A boy who was Alan grabbed the strange looking head piece and was about to place it on Danny's head.

"Miss, I-" Danny started before he just decided to slap away the head piece- and accidentally left a deep dent in it.

"Danny!" The teacher hissed. "That's it, detention mister! That equipment was lent to us as an experiment not a punching bag!"

Danny sighed. A detention on the first day. Hopefully it won't happen again... "I was trying to tell you I didn't want to do it." Danny explained, but still the teacher didn't hear.

"Oh well, Alan, get the spare one." The teacher muttered as she wrote something on a piece of paper.

"But I just said-" Danny sighed. No one was going to listen to him, were they?

"GHOST!" Someone yelled.

The Halfa looked out the window. How had the Box Ghost...?

"I am the Box Ghost! Beware!" The annoying ghost shouted as he phased into the room.

"Get out of the room! I'll handle it!" Danny yelled.

"How? You're a puny punk!" Someone else demanded- probably one of the school bullies or something.

"Ghosts are common where I came from! Now go!" Danny yelled, desperate. He wished he didn't have to deal with ghosts, or even say that he was from a town full of them. Oh well. His parents wouldn't get here now since there was no ghost alarm unlike at Casper High.

The class quickly ran out of the room, Tobias looking back at his friend before he left.

"Don't you ever learn, Boxy?" Danny wondered **(since it's only Boxy he's not going ghost)**.

"Beware! I am the Box Ghost!" The ghost yelled once again.

"I guess you don't." Danny dodged the boxes the ghost threw at him.

"You will not be able to contain me in your cylindrical container! For I am the Box Ghost!" The ghost yelled as he sent some more boxes flying at him.

Danny sighed as he took out the Thermos that he had brought with him in his bag. He opened it and the ghost was sucked in it.

"GHOST!" This time the yell was from the hallway.

Sighing again, Danny went into the hallway. He then saw the kids running away from a machine. "Skulker," Danny muttered as he closed the door and became Phantom. He then phased through the walls again. "What is it now, Skulker?" Danny yelled at the ghost.

"AH ANOTHER GHOST!" Someone else yelled.

"Isn't that Inviso-Bill from Amity Park?" Someone else wondered as the class ran back into the classroom.

"It's not Inviso-Bill!" Danny stated. He then turned to where Skulker was floating.

Er... correction, was.

Danny wondered why his ghost sense hadn't gone off when the ghosts had came. Maybe it did but he just didn't notice it. That might be the case.

The Halfa sighed as he checked for anymore ghosts in the hallway and if there was anybody that could expose his secret there. He decided not to risk the chance of a security camera being there and facing his direction and turned invisible and changed in the rest room stalls before going back to his human half.

When the boy entered the class room again, the Thermos in his hand, he saw pretty much the entire class either on the floor hiding under the tables or being told by Jake, Rachel, Tobias, Cassie and Marco that it was OK. Even the teacher was hiding under the table in fear.

Rachel looked at Danny. "Are they gone?"

In response, Danny nodded and walked back to his seat. He placed the Thermos in his bag again.

"What was that machine thing?" Jake asked.

"Skulker. He claims to be the Ghost Zone's greatest hunter." Danny explained. "The first ghost isn't really a threat, just the very annoying Box Ghost."

"How do you know about ghosts? I mean, they can't be real, can they?" This question was from the teacher.

The boy looked at the woman. "Well, you just say two. What do you think? Plus, like I said earlier, my hometown is filled with them. And my parents hunt them."

A thin blue stream of air exited Danny's mouth. "Not again..." Danny whispered. He took out the Thermos again.

"What? You captured them in your lunch?" Marco half joked.

"It's not my lunch." Danny muttered. "I say that you people should try to hide again or just get out of the room. Another one's coming."

The rest of the class his under the tables- well, everyone but Tobias that is. Tobias looked at Danny strangely. It was like he knew that something was up. Even though Danny's parents were ghost hunters, it seemed strange that Danny knew how to handle them so well. Finally Tobias was pulled under a table by Marco.

Danny and the class waited for the ghost to appear. "Come on..." Danny mumbled.

"Help me..." The ghost from Saturday night appeared in front of him. "Help me..." She grabbed Danny's hand. "Help..."

"Dude, get it!" Someone hissed at him.

"What do you want?" Danny asked the ghost girl, ignoring the jock.

"Help..." The girl repeated.

"I can't help you unless you tell me what you need help with." Danny stated.

The girl pointed up with her other hand. "Private talk." She then phased herself and Danny through the ceiling and onto the roof.

Danny pulled his hand out of the girl's grasp. "You got me here, not what is it that you want?"

"Go with Tobias to mall the Friday after next week." The ghost told Danny.

"That's it? Go with Tobias to the mall?" Danny was confused. Hadn't the girl asked him to help her when she appeared in classroom?

She shook her head no. "No. Help me. Go that night when you go to the mall, I will talk with you in order to have you help me. But you have to tell Tobias your secret."

"What?! Why? When?" Danny demanded. So what if Tobias and he were friends for a long time, and that Tobias said that nothing would make them lose their friendship, but so soon?

"You have to." The girl told him her voice with a hint of anger. "You have to do it or else you won't find out the truth. And by tomorrow he has to know."

Danny sighed. "Fine. I'll tell him. Now get me back to my classroom." The ghost nodded and phased them back into the room where she faded again.

"Why did you let it go?" Rachel asked.

"I don't know why." Danny answered. They then saw that he didn't feel like talking just then and tried to continue the class normally.

-that afternoon-

"Tobias, remember I had asked you if you wouldn't mind if there was something major that is different about me on Saturday?" Danny asked.

"Yeah, I do. Why?" Tobias replied.

Danny brought Tobias into an alley. "I have to show you something. But you can't tell anyone, not your uncle, aunt, other friends, or even my family. They don't know and I don't want them to just yet."

"OK, so what is it dude?" Tobias said.

Sighing, Danny closed his eyes as he became Phantom. He heard a gasp from his friend. He opened his now greed eyes. "You can't tell anyone, remember?" He reminded Tobias.

Tobias nodded slowly. "So... what are you? You can't be human, can you?"

The Halfa thought a while. How can he explain this to him? "I am human, but not a complete human. I'm half dead."

"Wait, how can you be half dead?" Tobias wondered as Danny turned back to his Fenton half.

"Well... I don't know. I just know that my dead half is Phantom and my living half is Fenton." Danny answered while rubbing the back of his head.

"So why'd you tell me?" Tobias wondered as they exited the alley and continued walking to the new Fenton household.

The other boy shrugged. "I guess so if there's a time that there's this ghost that's really hard to battle as a human around and I'm with you, I'd be able to turn into Phantom and get the ghost into the Thermos."

"Not to quote Marco or anything, but you trap them in with your lunch?" Tobias wondered.

Danny gave a small laugh. "It may look like a food container but it's the Fenton Thermos- er, well, I think that my dad did make it for food... But it's used to hold ghosts. It shoots out this ray that sucks in the ghosts into the container. However... the part about putting food in it... I wouldn't dare try it."

The two gave a small laugh.

"So was that why you didn't want to use that thing?" Tobias asked, referring to science class.

"Yeah. I really don't need the whole world knowing." Danny stated. "And being a ghost also made it possible for me to make that dent in the head piece."

They stopped in front of the new Fenton household that had the OP center on top of it- that's how they had got here, the OP center, but they hadn't placed it on yet until today.

"Do you dare enter it? I mean, we did bring everything but the Ghost Portal here," Danny stated.

"It's a risk I'll take. But if Jazz brings out dress clothes, I'm out of here." Tobias replied.

They laughed as Danny opened the door to the house. "Mom? Dad? I'm home!" Danny said into the house.

No one replied.

"Maybe they went out and Jazz isn't back from school yet- helping out maybe?" Tobias suggested as he saw the look on Danny's face.

"Maybe..." Danny muttered. He glanced at the refrigerator and then at the dining room table. He didn't see any note. "But maybe isn't sure enough." He became Phantom. "Are you coming or something?" He asked Tobias.

Tobias shrugged. "I could wait here just in case they come back, but then how would I contact you to let you know?"

Danny fished through his pockets, looking for something. He pulled out an ear piece and microphone. "Here. If they come back, just speak into it to tell me. I have my own with me so I'll know. And make sure that they don't know that you're actually talking to Phantom. If they ask, I ran off to make sure that they were OK since there was no note and they don't really carry cellulars."

"All right, see you later. Also, make sure that you call if you need help so that you're not completely alone." Tobias stated.

The Halfa rolled his eyes. "OK, Mom." He joked as he phased out of the house.

The dirty blond sighed as he looked up at the ceiling. "Don't let what happened to me happen to Danny." He whispered.

-somewhere out there in the big blue world-

"What have you done with them?!" Danny demanded from the giant eye.

_I HAVEN'T DONE ANYTHING._ The eye laughed. _IT IS THIS BEING WHO HAS DONE IT._ A cage appeared in front of him and Danny saw the female ghost from before.

"Danny-" The girl gasped, a ring of glowing metal around her neck, her hands desperately trying to remove it. "I- they're- at-"

_THAT'S ENOUGH, PET._ The eye gave a shock to the ghost.

A high pitched yell came from her mouth. She gasped and panted and looked into Danny's glowing green eyes. "Houston..." Was the last word from her mouth before she crumbled into a pile of dust.

Then the giant red eye laughed its weird laugh as he faded away, leaving Danny floating above the city.

"Tobias, did you hear that?" Danny spoke into his microphone.

"Hear what?" Tobias wondered. "The only thing I've heard from you was a 'What the-' that was cut off and the sentence you just said."

Danny sighed. "Tobias, would your Uncle care if you go to Houston for a while? And is there a chance of me being able to get into your house to make him sign an excuse for you and then I can always make an excuse for me."

"Uh he's pretty much drinking a lot, and he shouldn't really notice if you come in my home," Tobias stated. "And he rarely notice if I'm gone- he'll just think I went to my Aunts. Wait, did you say Houston? Man, that's miles away!"

"Yes, I said Houston. I'm going over to your house tonight and make him write a letter excusing you and write one by my 'parents' excusing me." Danny said. "The reason why it's Houston is because this giant eye thing had the girl ghost from today captive and she was able to say that my family is at Houston before it had made her into a pile of dust and leave."

The Halfa now phased into the living room of his house and then he turned into his Fenton half. "So, first, are you up to it?"


	4. Chapter 4

no own either show or series (sorry it was sort of short just the last sentence seemed to be how i normally end a chapter)

CHAPTER FOUR

"I still can't believe they actually believed that!" Tobias exclaimed.

"I know, impossible, right?" Danny said. He and Tobias picked up their suitcases (one each) as Danny became Phantom. "Now, I promise you I won't drop you."

Tobias looked at Danny. He wasn't so sure. "Swear on your grave?"

"Dude, remember, I'm half dead. I'm halfway there." Danny stated. "But still, sure and on my other half too I guess." He grabbed Tobias as they phased through the roof of his house.

-around two hours later-

"This feels much better..." Danny muttered as he and Tobias landed on a rooftop.

"You know you could have stopped whenever you wanted," Tobias stated as he dropped his suitcase- and himself- on the floor and flexed his fingers, trying to get the feeling back in them.

Danny rolled his eyes. "I can still drop you off the building," He reminded as he crossed his arms over his chest.

"If I was a girl, I would say 'you wouldn't!' but since I'm not, I would just have to remember that I'm the only one you know well in this town so far." Tobias said. He looked over the town. It seemed like they were on the roof of a school since he saw a large parking lot around the building and the sign that said **-like I'd tell you this**- at the opening of the driveway. "Uh, Danny, do you think anyone saw us land?"

The Halfa cocked an eyebrow and looked at Tobias as he stood and tried to open the door to get to the stairs. "What do you mean?"

"I mean that." He pointed at someone under a tree near the entrance driveway. "You think he saw?"

The other boy followed his finger. "Dude, that's not a dude. But anyway, if you didn't notice, I had turned us invisible when the second hour started."

"But are you sure? What if you accidentally let it down?" Tobias wondered, still looking at the girl who was under the tree.

"Tell that to my vision. I know what I saw and all I saw of the two of us during the last hour was nothing." Danny said as he managed to unlock the door. "There." He opened the door. "Come on, Tobias."

Tobias glanced at Danny and the now open door. "OK, but what about the girl? Won't she see us leave the building?"

"Remember what I said about me being halfway to my grave? That includes invisibility and tangibility." Danny said.

The dirty blond frowned. But he still followed Danny down the stairs of the building.

As they reached the door that separated the stairway to the roof from the second floor Tobias stopped Danny from just unlocking the door. "Maybe we should go invisible and just phase through just in case that someone is still here. We don't want to risk it."

Danny rolled his eyes as he grabbed Tobias' wrist, turned them invisible and phased them through the entire building until they reached the front. Just as Danny was about to drop the invisibility, Tobias nudged him with his elbow. "The girl's still here." He whispered.

The Halfa sighed. He flew them out of the girl's sight into a field that was still on school property before finally dropping it.

"Hello there." The girl said. Her voice sounded a lot like many people Danny and Tobias knew- Rachel, Cassie, Sam, Jazz, Valerie, Dani, Tobias' Aunt to name a few- and some they didn't yet- Tobias' mom, Estrid, Elfangor, Aximili, etc.

The two boys turned around and saw that the girl was still barely in their sight... but it had sounded like she was right behind them. "How...?" Danny wondered.

They shook their heads. They must have been dreaming. Then they walked off to find the house they'd be staying at.

But back at under that tree, the girl with light brown hair mixed with some streaks of black or dark brown and blue eyes smirked.

Who'd knew that toying with those two boys were so much fun?

-at the house they're staying at

First off, yes, they're staying with another family. But just while they're in Houston. Why? Because they didn't have enough money together to pay for an apartment and they didn't really want to stay in an abandoned house right now. Also, the family was willing to let several people stay in their home for pretty much nothing- this was said in an ad in the newspaper.

So then Danny sighed. He then ringed the doorbell.

"One second!" A woman said through the door. The door opened a few moments later. It was a red haired women with green eyes wearing jeans and an Astros t-shirt. "Are you the two who called because of the ad?" She wondered.

They nodded. "I'm Da-" Danny began before Tobias nudged him in the side. "-Rren. Darren." Danny finished.

"I'm Talon." Tobias said. Danny looked at him out of the corner of his eyes, wondering why he said Talon as his name.

"Well, Darren and Talon, I'm Sam, short for Samar." The woman said as she moved out of the way so they could enter the house. "You're just on time. We were just beginning dinner. Come on, my daughter and husband are waiting."

"Talon?" Danny asked the other boy.

"What can I say, I liked dinosaurs when I was little and the dino feet were the first thing I could think of." Tobias explained. "But I think people have actually had that name before," They entered the house and Samar closed the door.

The teens and woman entered the dinning room. There was a man with dark brown hair and blue eyes placing down silverware and plates on the table. A teenage girl- about the same age as the boys- with brown hair with natural highlights in it and blue eyes- sound familiar?- was carrying the food into the room.

"_Ross, Lorraine, these are the boys who answered our ad._" Samar said and signed in American Sign Language after getting Ross' attention. She turned to the two teens. "Ross became deaf in an explosion so the best way to talk with him and yet make sure he knows what you're saying is to write it on this chalkboard. He can still talk he just can't hear you."

Lorraine placed the food on the table and waved. "Nice to meet you," She said. Her voice sounded oddly familiar... "What did you say you're names were?"

"I'm Darren and this is Talon." Danny answered and saw Samar signing it out.

Ross nodded. He signed a bit before Samar translated it. "He says that it's nice to know you. He also says stay away from... Lilla... Maria... no Marie. He says it's nice to know you and to stay away from Lilla Marie, whoever that is."

"Sit down," Samar said as they all sat at the table. "So, where do you two come from?"

-later, in Danny's room in the house-

"Is there any ghost you know named Lilla Marie?" Tobias wondered, closing the door.

Danny shook his head. "Never heard of a ghost named Lilla Marie either. Unless Lilla Marie is that strange ghost from school."

Tobias sighed. "So who is this Lilla Marie person then?"

"I don't know. Maybe we can find out later. "And we'll have a chance to look for my family then too."

The dirty blond nodded. "See ya in the morning, man."

"See ya," Danny replied as he leaned back and looked at the ceiling.

-later-

He didn't even remember falling asleep.

Danny opened his eyes. What had made him feel the need to wake.

Then he saw it.

"It" was a strange thing. "It" looked like a centaur with a scorpion-looking-tail, seven fingers on each hand, no mouth, two stalk eyes, and mostly brown fur but with some purple flesh around the face, the eyes on the thing's face and stalks purple.

"Wh-what-?" Danny stuttered.

The thing waver a hand, as if to say for him not to speak. And, somehow, it worked, Danny couldn't talk. ((You must not tell anyone of me, all right, Daniel?))

The Halfa nodded before wondering how the thing knew his name.

((I am Lillamariena-Rainnella-Allyonias. You will not cross me or else you will be hurt badly.)) The thing stated. ((And yes, I am the Lilla Marie that the man Ross was talking about. But that was not Ross speaking. That was Crayak. He is that red eye that you saw a while ago.)) Before Danny could open his mouth again Lillamariena (who will be called only Lilla for now on since I'm not gonna type her name over and over again) waved her seven fingered hand again. ((But this is not about him.)) Lilla waited a while before continuing. ((I know who took your family.))

"Who?" Danny asked, seeing he could speak again, which might not last long, depending if he tried to interrupt Lilla again.

((I am not able to say that information.)) Lilla stated. ((But I can tell you this. Do not go into the mall with Tobias the week after the next when you get back. Go straight to the construction site that's near it.)) She paused, as if waiting to see if Danny would respond.

"But this ghost told me yesterday that I _should_ go to the mall with Tobias." Danny stated, seeing this.

((Calima is a liar. You shouldn't go. She works for Crayak, Daniel.)) Lilla stated.

Danny cocked an eyebrow. "But I saw-" He began.

((I know that you saw her turn to dust. But that is just an illusion. She is still perfectly intact, waiting.)) Lilla interrupted.

"Waiting for what?" Danny asked.

Lilla closed all four of her eyes. ((Waiting for you to slip. Waiting for you to mess up,))

The Halfa shuddered, thinking of his future evil self. "This Crayak guy... is he waiting for Dan to appear?"

The alien nodded. ((Yes. He wants you to go against a certain group's trust. He wants you to join him instead of his opponent who is my Master,))

"So I'm NOT supposed to go to the mall week after the next with Tobias, right?" Danny repeated, making sure that he got it right.

((Correct. Around seven, you should be at the construction site that's near the mall. Tobias, Marco, Jake, Rachel and Cassie will arrive there soon after you do. I cannot tell you anything else of your future. Good luck, young Daniel. I hope it's not too late for your family,)) Lilla told him as she faded away.

Danny leaned back on his bed. What had just happened? Was it all a dream?


	5. Chapter 5

no own either show or series

A/N: you guys have a lot to read now- the chapter ahead of this (aka 6) is equal to the first 6 chapters in The Invasion of the Animorphs series.

CHAPTER FIVE

It was around after breakfast. Tobias and Danny were trying to figure out where his family was.

"Dude, do you really think we'll find them here?" Tobias wondered as they were about to leave another abandoned building.

Danny shook his head. "I'm not. I'm still confused because of last night, or this morning, I'm not sure what time it was."

Tobias raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean? Meeting Lorraine, Samar and Ross?"

"Oh, I didn't tell you. Last night this thing entered my room last night. It was a centaur-looking thing with brown fur everywhere but around her face which was purple. It had seven fingers on each hand and two stalk eyes and no mouth. All four of its eyes were purple. Oh and there was this scorpion looking tail blade on it too." Danny answered. "It said that the ghost girl from school was a worker of this strange giant eye thing and was a liar. So I'm not even sure if they're even here. And you know how Ross was saying to stay away from a Lilla Marie person? She was the thing from last night. Uh Lillamariena something something."

"So do we even have a lead on where they are now?" Tobias wondered.

The Halfa shook his head. "No, all I know is that Lilla knows what happened to them."

The other boy looked at the Halfa as they turned invisible and phased out of the building. "Then why can't we just ask her for some help?"

"She's powerful. With one motion of her hand she made it so I couldn't talk. I don't want to know what else she could do." Danny stated as they entered a alley where they turned normal again.

"So, for all we know, we came here for no reason, right?" Tobias wondered.

"It seems like that." Danny replied. "Also, the ghost and Lilla are saying opposite things. One says do one thing then the other says do the opposite. But the ghost was the one who sent me here to Houston anyway and Lilla just says that the ghost is a liar and follower of this Crayak person while she herself is on the opposite side. I'm just getting so confused," Danny combed his hand through his hair.

"Wait one second." Tobias said.

Danny looked at his friend. "What is it?"

Tobias pointed at something on his friend's head. "That."

"Which is what? I can't look at my own forehead without a mirror despite my current status." Danny reminded him.

"It's a symbol of some sort. It looks like your DP logo but a bit different. Here, I'll show you." Tobias took out a sheet of paper and a pen that was in his jacket- Danny has no idea where he keeps those in it and why. Tobias drew the DP logo and then this strange looking A in it. "This is it," He showed it to Danny.

"Huh." Danny looked at the drawing. Where had he seen that A before? "Well, keep it, just in case it helps somehow. For now, we need to go find out if my family are even here."

Just then Calima appeared in front of the two boys.

"I can tell you where your family is." She said.

The Halfa rolled his eyes, the logo that was still on his forehead turning a bright blue. "Yeah, how am I supposed to believe you? First, you turned into a pile of dust. And second, you were trying to trick me when I saw you last."

Calima sighed. "That traitor told you not to trust me, didn't she?"

"See what I mean, Tobias? I don't even know who to believe anymore!" Danny told his friend, the logo now turning a glowing green.

"The Ellimist himself restored me. Lilla is the one trying to trick you!" Calima told him.

Tobias moved his eyes between the ghost and his friend. He saw the logo turn red on his forehead. This couldn't be good. "Danny, don't go all out on her yet. You said yourself you don't know who is telling the truth."

But Danny just shook his head and grabbed the collar of Calima's suit. "You tell me where now. If you don't tell the truth..." He left the threat hanging. His skin was turning slightly blue and his hair turning with and flaming. His eyes glowed red.

"Danny..." Tobias began. Even though he did not know of what had happened before with the CAT test, he did know that this was not something good.

"You should really listen to him, Daniel." Calima stated, trying not to choke.

Danny growled. "Why should I?" He grew fangs and changed into his Dark future self. He was almost there, just a bit longer then the transformation would be complete. He made his grip tighter.

"I-I-" Calima began, trying to speak though his coughs. "W-with C-c-crayak!" Danny loosened his grip on the ghost. "He'll give back your sister, but not your parents." Calima said quickly. Danny began to tighten it again.

"Why only Jazz?" Danny demanded.

"H-he d-didn't tell m-me!" Calima said. Even though the right side of her face was a stone cold glare, her left side of her face was begging for mercy.

"Danny, let her go." Tobias said, not wanting to see his friend as a cold blooded killer. "She could be telling the truth, and if you kill her, how will we get any more information from her?"

The Halfa growled again. "Fine." He was about to drop the ghost before he remembered something. "Where and when is he going to give back Jazz?" His eyes narrowed and the ghost and dirty blond haired boy saw an ectoblast forming around his other hand.

"In two days, back in Amity!" Calima blurted. "Please, I'm telling the truth!"

Danny finally let go of the ghost. He turned back into his normal human self. The logo turned back to the original black color. "Come on, Tobias. Let's go." He stormed off in the direction of Lorraine's home.

Tobias looked at the ghost girl who was still on the ground, rubbing her neck as she slowly faded away. He then followed Danny.

-almost two days later before they go back to Amity-

Lorraine and Tobias stood outside of Danny's door.

The Halfa wouldn't really exit his room when there was someone awake. He would stay in his room the entire day, and probably only sneak out at night for a flight or some food. But as far as they knew, Danny stayed there the entire day.

"What had happened?" Lorraine asked Tobias after their second try at knocking the door and getting Danny to come out.

"Something about the whereabouts of his family. He doesn't want to lose them," Tobias stated as he leaned against the door. He didn't know Lorraine enough to tell her all the details... That and that he was still freaked out about what had happened that day when Danny became Dan.

The girl leaned against the wall that was opposite of the door. "It's though, isn't it? Losing your family and not sure how to find them..." Lorraine muttered. "It's hard on the person if they aren't used to losing their love ones."

Tobias cocked an eyebrow, wondering how Lorraine thought this. He then excused it. He was concentrating on how to get Danny out of his room. "Danny?" He spoke through the door again.

"Leave me alone." Danny muttered through the door back. "I need some more time alone."

The two outside the room sighed.

"You've had two days of being alone, Danny. Why do you need more?" Lorraine wondered.

"I need to think." Came the reply.

"About what?" Lorraine asked. This earned her a stare from Tobias. "Trust me," She mouthed to Tobias.

There was silence on the other side for a few minutes. "Crayak." Danny whispered, but still loud enough for them to hear on the other side somehow.

"Crayak?" Tobias repeated. He thought about the giant red eye Danny had told him about, the one who had turned Calima into dust.

"Who's Crayak?" Lorraine asked Tobias, but he had a feeling that she already knew who he was.

"It's just this person. We're not even completely sure ourselves who he is." Tobias lied. They knew who this Crayak was, well, not a lot about him, but they knew something, and Crayak wasn't just a person.

Just then, Samar called. "Darren!"

"He's still not coming out of the room!" Lorraine called back.

Samar appeared at the stairs. "Maybe he will if you tell him that his sister is on the phone," She suggested.

"His sister?" Tobias and Lorraine repeated.

There was some noises from inside the room, a few crashes, maybe Danny losing control of his powers, before the door finally opened. "My sister?" Danny repeated, his hair a mess, bags under his eyes.

Samar nodded. "She says her name is Jazz."

Danny appeared suddenly next to Samar, took the phone from her and entered his room again.

Tobias and Lorraine sighed.

"So much for him leaving his room," Lorraine muttered as she walked down the stairs.

The other boy looked at the locked door once again, before sighing and entering his own.

As soon as the boy knew that no one was listening in, he looked at the phone again. He sighed as he picked it up from his desk.

"Jazz?" He whispered.

"Danny? Is- is that you?" Jazz's voice answered.

"Jazz! You're back!" The sad expression on Danny's face disappeared, the bags under his eyes suddenly gone.

"Yeah, I'm back... from somewhere... But Danny, where are you? Where's Mom? And Dad? Besides a market buying fudge? Or ghost hunting?" Jazz asked from the other end.

"I'm in Houston, Jazz. I'm staying with Tobias and this family who's letting us stay here. What about you?" Danny replied, deciding he wouldn't go onto the topic on where his parents were unless absolutely necessary.

There was a moment of silence as Jazz thought on the other end. "I think at home in Amity." She said after a while. "But, Danny, I-I..." There was something like a sob from that end. "I don't know what happened... I don't know how I got here... Danny, where's Mom and Dad? Why aren't they here?"

Danny sighed. Something must have happened in order to get Jazz forget that they moved. "Jazz, we moved, remember?" He said. He sat down on the bed, slightly annoyed at Crayak.

"To Houston?" Jazz replied.

The Halfa shook his head, then realized that Jazz couldn't really see him. "No, not to Houston. To -blank." Danny wished Crayak hadn't ever done anything to him or his family. "I'll meet you there with Tobias tonight. See you, Jazz."

Jazz was silent on her end for a while. "OK, I'll use the Fenton RV to get there, even if it is hard to drive. Or maybe I'll use my car. But I'll get there. Be careful, little brother." Jazz then hanged up.

-a few hours later-

"OK, can you two get there safely from here?" Samar asked after Ross signed it out.

They were in Las Vegas, Nevada currently.

"Yeah, we're going to be OK." Danny said. "Thanks for letting us stay with you,"

"Any time," Lorraine replied.

The two boys waved and walked away.

As soon as they found an empty alley, they entered it, Danny transformed, and they flew away.

**Two chapters in one day- actually I had this finished a while but didn't have time to post it and like i said earlier the next chapter is long!! so I'm off to upload the next chapter**


	6. The Invasion

no own either show or series

**Behold! The plot of the story that is in the book series has started! and this thing is super long! also, some of it may be exactly like the book except in third person, or not, i dont know, i went to http: // downloads . animorphsforum . com / books / pdf / 01 . pdf for the ref. (that's the exact link to the page for the first book the main page is animorphsforum . com. and i got lazy part of the time and just copy and pasted somethings. its a bit hard to find a way to place in Danny without taking away any of the main parts from the other characters. and like said in the other chapter, this chapter six is equal to the first six chapters in The Invasion. I think i'll save the rest of my rambling for the end of the chapter**

CHAPTER SIX

Friday was here.

The problem was, Danny wasn't sure who to believe. He wasn't sure if he should go to the mall with Tobias or meet him and the others at the construction site.

Danny sighed. He ran his hand through his hair, thinking.

Currently, Danny was at home, only because Jazz had asked the principal to let them both go home because she needed to have him explain somethings to her and she was still a bit upset because their parents "disappeared."

So...

Go to the mall with them or meet them later?

-sometime after school hours-

"Jazz, I'm going out, OK?" Danny said as he passed by his sister in the living room.

"Bye Danny. Careful," Jazz replied.

Danny waved as he exited the house. He then walked towards the construction site. No need to rush, anyway.

-at the site-

Danny sighed as he looked at the half finished buildings. He had gone here the last weekend so he'd know where it was and how to go home from it.

He had tried climbing up the rusting crane then. It was a bit hard but he managed. At least then he had his powers to get down when he wanted.

The Halfa stood there looking at the sky for a few minutes before hearing the other five come.

"Hey, Danny, I thought you said you couldn't come," Tobias said when he saw him.

The raven haired boy pretended to just notice that they were there behind him. "Oh, I was only able to get out a while ago. I had to talk to Jazz,"

"Well, too bad that we have to get home now." Marco stated.

The boy shrugged and the entire group of six continued walking.

Tobias was looking at the sky now. He must have gone into his own little world, even though Danny, his close friend, was there. He was the first one to see it.

The dirty blond boy stopped in his tracks. He then pointed at the sky, straight up. "Look."

"What?" Jake asked, almost certain that he had heard a chain-saw killer coming.

"Just look." Tobias said, his voice slightly strange. Serious, but amazed.

The some of them- Jake, Danny- looked up and saw this bright blue-white light move across the sky.

"What is it?" Jake wondered, asking the question some of them were thinking.

Tobias shook his head. "I don't know," He lied. The two boys looked at each other, knowing the answer, but also knowing Marco or Rachel would laugh at them.

Then Cassie blurted it out. "It's a flying saucer!"

"A flying saucer?" Marco repeated, laughing... That is, until he saw the light in the sky.

The group felt their hearts beating loudly, some excited, some weird, some afraid, and at least one of them was more than one.

"It's coming this way." Rachel stated.

"It's hard to be sure," Jake countered, his voice dry.

"No, it's coming this way." Rachel seemed so sure...

And Rachel was right. It was coming towards them, and slowing down. As it descended, they could see how it looked like better.

"It's not exactly a flying saucer," Jake said.

First of all, it wasn't all that big. It was about as long as a school bus. The front end was a

pod, shaped almost like an egg. Extending from the back of the pod was a long, narrow shaft.

There were two crooked, stubby winglike things, and on the end of each wing was a long

tube that glowed bright blue on the back end.

The little spaceship looked almost cute. You know, kind of harmless. Except that it had a sort

of tail - a mean-looking tail that curved up and forward, corning to a point that looked as

sharp as a needle.

"That tail thing, it looks like a weapon." Jake stated.

Marco nodded. "Definitely."

The strange ship seemed to get closer, as if it was coming in for a landing.

"Do you think it'll land?" Danny said. He had the same tone of voice as most of the others- the not-quite-real tone, where they didn't want to believe, couldn't believe, and yet there it was.

"I think we should run." Marco replied. "You know, to get a camera. Do you know how much we'd be payed if we had footage of this thing?"

"But if we run..." Danny began, thinking.

"Do you think they'd hit us with their phasers on full power?" Jake half joked.

"Phasers are only on Star Trek." Marco stated, rolling his eyes. Yeah, like he was an alien spacecraft expert.

The ship stopped in the air, almost directly above them, around one hundred feet above them. Every one's hair was on end, Rachel's long hair sticking out in almost every direction. Only Cassie's hair looked untouched.

"What do you think it is?" Marco asked. His voice was a little shaky, not as laid back as he was earlier. But to be honest, even Danny who was used to ghosts of all sorts popping up at random times, was scared. Yet, it was cool, for there was a REAL LIVE SPACESHIP hovering over them!

Tobias was grinning. Not as much as a maniac would, but still grinning. But that was him. He was used to Danny saying he was half dead, even though it was sudden. It's normal things that were hard for him to get. "I think it's going to land," He said. His eyes were bright and excited, his blond hair standing up in clumps.

The strange ship started to descend towards them.

"It's coming right at us!" Jake exclaimed.

There was this urge for them to run back home away from the ship, but something made them stay.

The group stared as the ship landed in a clearing. They could now see that there was burns on the ship- maybe from a battle of some sort? As it landed, the lights turned off. Every one's hair- or at least the ones who's hair was long enough to rise- fell down again to their places.

"It isn't very big, is it?" Rachel whispered.

"It's about-" Jake paused, thinking, "three or four times as big as our minivan."

"Shouldn't we tell someone?" Marco asked. "I mean, this is major. Spaceships just don't land in construction sites everyday. We could call like the president or something. We'd get famous. We could get on Letterman."

"Yeah, I guess so." Jake replied. "We should." But no one moved. They weren't just going to walk away from the spaceship.

"Should we try to talk to it?" Rachel suggested. She had her had her hands on her hip, trying to figure the ship out as if it was a puzzle. "If that's even possible, that is."

Tobias nodded. He stepped forward and placed his hands open in front of him as if saying he had nothing that could hurt the things inside. He cleared his throat then in a loud clear voice spoke out. "It's safe. We won't hurt you,"

_Speak for yourself,_ Danny thought as Jake asked how Tobias even knew if the thing spoke English.

"Well, everyone speaks English on Star Trek," Cassie stated with a nervous laugh.

Tobias sighed as he tried again. "Please, come out. We won't hurt you,"

((I know.))

The group froze. They all swore they heard that, but they couldn't find the source. Cassie and Jake looked at each other, seeing that they both heard it. Rachel was looking around, trying to find the source, confused.

"Did everyone hear that?" Tobias whispered.

One by one, they all nodded.

"Can you come out?" Tobias asked in his talking-to-aliens voice.

((Yes. Do not be frightened,)) The voice replied.

"We won't be frightened," Tobias replied for the group.

"Speak for yourself," Jake muttered. The rest laughed nervously.

A thin arc of light appeared as a door opened. They stared at it, hypnotized.

And then he appeared.

I can only tell you two of the six people's reactions. Danny's and Jake's.

Danny's first reaction was- he looks a lot like Lilla but with more blue and less brown and no purple.

Jake's was that someone cloned a deer and a person together. When he saw the tail, he thought, whoa, this guy could do some damage if he wanted.

"Hello," Tobias said, his voice gentle, as if the alien was a baby instead of an... whatever it was. He was grinning. It was a while before Jake and a few of the others realized they were smiling- and at least Jake was crying a bit too. It was because it was like he knew the alien before and hadn't seen him in a really long time.

((Hello,)) The alien greeted.

"Hi," The group repeated.

Then, suddenly the alien staggered. He fell off of the ship and towards the ground. The dirty blond boy tried to help him up but he fell down on the ground still.

"Look!" Cassie pointed at the burn that covered a good half of the alien's side. "He's hurt,"

((Yes. I am dying,)) The alien stated.

"Can we help you? We can call an ambulance or something," Marco asked.

"We can bandage that wound," Cassie stated. "Jake, give me your shirt. We rip it and make some bandages." Her parents are both vets and she was completely into animals... Even though this alien was no animal... sort of...

((No, the wound is fatal. I will not survive,)) The alien replied.

"No! You can't die!" Jake exclaimed. "You're the first alien to come to earth, you can't die now." It hurt him and everyone else that he was going to die.

((I am not the first, young one.)) The alien answered.

"There are others? More like you?" Danny wondered, though he knew that there was at least one more because of Lilla.

The alien shook his head side to side. ((Not like me,))

And then he cried out in pain, a yell that the group would never forget. They had actually felt him dying.

((No, they are different.)) The alien said after the yell.

"How are they different?" Jake asked.

The six teens would never forget the forced answer from the alien.

((They have come to destroy you.))

It was strange how they knew that the alien was not lying. They knew that he was telling the truth. No one dared to say that he was lying. They knew that he was trying to warn them from something completely evil.

((They are Yeerks.)) The alien stated. ((They are different from the both of our species.))

"You're saying that they're already on earth?" Rachel wondered.

((There are many living among you. Hundreds, thousands, possibly millions.))

"Why hasn't there been any reports on them if there are so many?" Danny asked.

"And how come we haven't heard of it at school?" Marco asked.

((You do not understand. The Yeerks are different. They have no body, like yours or mine. They live in the bodies of other species. They are...)) The alien sighed, having trouble explaining.

Then this image of an over sized green slug, the size of a rat maybe, appeared in the teens minds. It wasn't very pretty.

"That was a Yeerk, wasn't it?" Danny muttered.

"Unless it was a huge wad of gum," Marco half joked.

((They are almost powerless without a host. They-))

Suddenly the teens felt this blast of pain, coming from the alien. They also felt his sadness, for he knew then he was close to death.

((The Yeerks are parasites. They must have a host to live in. In this form they are known as

Controllers. They enter the brain and are absorbed into it, taking over the host's thoughts and

feelings. They try to get the host to accept them voluntarily. It is easier that way. Otherwise

the host may be able to resist, at least a little.))

"Are you saying they take over human beings?" Rachel asked.

"These things have total control over their bodies?" Danny continued.

"Look, this is serious stuff. Why are you telling us, a bunch of kids? Shouldn't you be telling people like the president and the government?" Jake stated.

((We had hoped to stop them,)) the alien continued. ((Swarms of their Bug fighters were

waiting when our Dome ship came out of Z-Space. We knew of their mother ship and were

ready for the Bug fighters, but the Yeerks surprised us - they had hidden a powerful Blade

ship in a crater of your moon. We fought, but . . . we lost. They have tracked me here. They

will be here soon to eliminate all traces of me and my ship.))

"They can do that? How?" Cassie wondered.

The alien seemed to smile, but with its eyes since it had no mouth. ((They have Dracon beams that will leave only several molecules of this ship... and this body.)) He said. ((((I sent a message to my homeworld. We Andalites fight the Yeerks wherever they go throughout the universe. My people will send help, but it may take a year, even more, and by then the Yeerks will have control of this planet. After that, there is no hope. You must tell people. You must warn your people!))

Another spasm of pain. The teens knew that death was coming closer for him.

"No ones gonna believe us," Marco stated, hopelessly. He looked at Jake and shook his head. "No way,"

Marco was right. Who would believe six teens when they say that the world is being taken over by alien slugs? They would think they were all on drugs or something.

"I don't care if you know that you're gonna die, we need to help you." Danny stated.

"We can take you to a hospital or maybe Cassie's parents can help you-" Rachel began.

((There is no time.)) The Andalite stated. ((But perhaps...))

"What?" One of the teens asked, or maybe it was all of them who asked.

((Go into my ship. There is a small blue box, very plain. Quickly, bring it to me. The Yeerks will come soon.)) The Andalite told them.

Rachel, Tobias, Cassie and Marco were all looking at Jake to do it.

"I'll go in," Danny said and entered instead.

The inside of the ship was surprisingly simple. Everything was a creamy color and tended to have a oval shape. That was what made it so easy for Danny to find the box.

As Danny picked up the strangely heavy four by four box, he noticed this hologram of a human family next to one that was of an Andalite one. The Andalite family was most likely his. As Danny looked at the human child in the hologram, he felt like he knew that little boy. He then shook his head as he grabbed the holograms and exited. _Something to have of the Andalite so we can remember him,_ he thought.

"Here," Danny handed the box to the alien and noticed Tobias kneeling down next to him.

((You have the holograms.)) The Andalite stated.

Danny turned a bit red. "I thought that I'd get something for us to remember you by,"

The Andalite nodded. ((Very well.)) He said. ((There is one thing I can do to help you fight the Yeerks.))

"What is it?" Rachel wondered.

((I know that you are young. I know that you have no power with which to resist the Controllers. But I may be able to give you some small powers that may help,)) The Andalite stated.

Everyone but Tobias, who kept his eyes on the alien, looked at each other, slightly confused.

"Powers?" Cassie wondered.

_Will this new power effect the ones I already have?_ Danny wondered.

((It is something that the Yeerks do not have.)) The Andalite explained. ((A technology that has helped us pass undetected through the universes- the power to morph. We have never shared this before, but I feel that I must in order for Earth to have hope.))

"Morph? Morph how?" Rachel had her eyes narrowed, staring at the alien.

((The ability to change your shape.)) The Andalite replied. ((To become any other species, any animal.))

_Would this count ghosts?_ Danny thought.

Marco laughed derisively. He wasn't the most accepting person. "You're serious? Become animals?"

((You will only need to touch a creature, to acquire its DNA pattern, and you will be able to

become that creature. It requires concentration and determination, but, if you are strong, you

can do it. There are . . . limitations. Problems. Dangers, even. But there is no time to explain

it all . . . no time. You will have to learn for yourselves. But first, do you wish to receive this

power?)) The Andalite explained.

"He's kidding, right?" Marco looked at Jake for his answer.

"No, he's not." Tobias answered.

"This is nuts," Marco said. "This whole thing is nuts. Yeerks and spaceships and slugs taking

over people's brains and Andalites and the power to change into animals? Give me a break."

Jake nodded, agreeing. "Beyond weird."

"We're off the map of weirdness by now," Rachel stated. "But unless we're all just dreaming, I think we'd better deal with this."

"He's dying," Tobias reminded them.

"I'm doing it." Cassie said quickly.

This surprised Jake. She wasn't one to decide that quickly. He guessed that, like Tobias, she felt the truth of what the Andalite was saying.

"We should decide together." Jake stated. "One way or the other."

"What's that?" Rachel pointed at two pinpoints of bright red lights above them.

The Andalite's eyes narrowed. ((Yeerks.)) The teens all felt his hatred for the parasites.

The lights slowed and turned around towards them.

((You must decide!)) The Andalite stated.

"We have to do this." Tobias told his friends. "How else are we going to get the Controllers?"

"This is so insane!" Marco said. "Insane!"

"I'd wish for more time, but I'm in." Rachel stated.

_I'm sort of glad Desiree isn't here right now,_ Danny thought. "Count me in." He decided.

"Jake?" Cassie asked. They all looked at him.

Jake looked between his friends, the Andalite and the Bug Fighters.

"We have to," Tobias said.

The boy nodded. "We have no choice."

((Then, each of you, place a hand on a side of the cube,)) The Andalite instructed.

Six human hands covered each side of the blue box, and then a blue seven fingered hand joined theirs, holding the edges of the box. A short shock went through their bodies as they got the new power.

((Go now,)) the Andalite said. ((Only remember this - never remain in animal form for more

than two of your Earth hours. Never! That is the greatest danger of the morphing! If you stay

longer than two hours you will be trapped, unable to return to human form.))

"Two hours," The teens repeated, nodding.

A wave of fear swept over them. They knew that there was something other than just the Bug Fighters was up there.

((Visser Three! He's coming!)) The Andalite breathed.

"Who's Visser Three?" Danny asked rushed, all afraid of this unknown fear.

((He is the only Yeerk to posses the power to morph,)) The Andalite stated. ((The very same that I gave you now. Now, run!))

"No, maybe we can help!" Rachel countered.

There was a hint of hope in the Andalite's eyes. But he shook his head. ((Go now, save yourselves and your planet.))

The teens looked upward and saw the two Bug Fighters followed by another ship.

"But how can we fight them?" Rachel demanded.

((You will find a way, now go!)) The Andalite almost yelled.

Jake jerked from the force of the command. "He's right. Let's go!"

They ran. All but Tobias, who knelt beside the Andalite and took his hand. The Andalite

pressed his other hand against Tobias's head. Tobias rocked back, like he'd been shocked.

Then he, too, was up and running, stumbling over the loose junk and potholes of the

construction site.

A red beam of light shone from a fighter, then another from the other joined. The Andalite shone like a star.

Jake hit the ground, hard. He saw his leg in the red circle, and jerked it away, scrapping himself as he moved across the ground.

The six teens crouched behind a low wall, afraid to stay, afraid to look, yet afraid to leave, and afraid to look away.

Slowly the Bug Fighters landed, one on either side of the Andalite and his ship. It was clear now why they were called that- they looked like cockroaches.

"Okay, you can wake me up now," Marco said in a rattled whisper. "I've had enough of this

dream."

Then the third ship began to land. The teens felt the same wave of fear wash over them.

The Visser's ship looked like it was going to land on some of the machines. But as it landed, the machines sizzled and disappeared. The door of the ship began to open.

Cassie opened her mouth to scream. Jake reached over and covered her mouth so they wouldn't be noticed.

They leaped from the ship, whirling and thrusting and slicing the air - creatures that looked

like walking weapons. They stood on two bent-back legs and had two very long arms. On

each arm there were curved horn-blades growing out of the wrist and elbow. There were

other blades at their bent-back knees, and two more blades at the end of their tails. They had

feet like a Tyrannosaurus Rex.

But it was the head that got your attention - a neck like a snake, a mouth that was almost a

falcon's beak, and, from the forehead, three dagger like horns raked forward.

((Hork-Bajir-Controllers.))

The teens almost jumped, before realizing that it was the Andalite, trying to tell them all he could in his last moments. His voice sounded softer, fainter, as if he was straining to yell from far away.

"Did you guys...?" Jake whispered.

Rachel nodded. "Yeah,"

((The Hork-Bajir are a good people, despite their fearsome looks,)) the Andalite said. ((But

they have been enslaved by the Yeerks. Each of them now carries a Yeerk in his head. They

are to be pitied.))

"Pity. Right," Rachel said grimly. "They're walking killing machines. Look at them!"

But our attention was drawn away by a new form that crept and slithered and shimmied out

of the Blade ship.

((Taxxon-Controllers,)) the Andalite said. ((The Taxxons are evil.))))

"Yeah," Marco muttered. "I think I would have guessed that."

They were like massive centipedes, twice as long as a grown man. So big around that if you

tried to hug one, your arms wouldn't make it even halfway. Not that anyone would ever want

to.

They had dozens of legs that supported the lower two thirds of their bodies. The top third was

held upright, and there the rows of legs became smaller, with little lobster-claw hands.

Around the top of their disgusting, tubular bodies were four eyes, each like a wiggling

globule of red Jell-O. And at the very end, pointing straight up in the air, was a round mouth,

ringed by hundreds of tiny teeth.

Hork-Bajir and Taxxons poured from the Blade ship, spreading out around the area like well trained Marines. They were holding small, pistol-sized things that were definitely weapons.

They formed a ring around the Andalite and his ship.

Suddenly, one of the Hork-Bajir came straight toward us. He took one big, bounding step and

he was practically on top of the teens.

Jake hugged the ground as if it would protect him. Marco's eyes were huge, his lips pulled back to where it could have been mistaken for a grin if you didn't know what he was looking at.

The Hork-Bajir pointed his gun, or whatever it was, around at the darkness. His snake head

swerved left and right, trying to penetrate the gloom.

((Silence!)) the Andalite warned us. ((Hork-Bajir do not see well in darkness, but their hearing

is very good.))

The Hork-Bajir moved closer still. He was six feet away now, with just the low wall between

us. He had to have heard their heart pounding. Maybe he didn't know what the sound was.

Maybe he didn't recognize the sounds of six terrified kids whose knees were quivering and

teeth were chattering. Kids who were breathing in short, sudden gasps.

The teens were almost sure that they were going to die. They could almost see how the Hork-Bajir was going to slice them apart, ridding them from their (half) lives.

But then the Andalite's voice was in my head again. ((Courage, my friends.))

And this . . . this warm . . . this . . . they didn't have any words to explain it. It was just this

warmth that spread all through them. It was like when you're a little kid and you've had a

terrible nightmare and you've woken up screaming. You know how you used to feel better

when your mom or dad would turn on the light and come in and sit beside you in bed?

That's what it was like.

But still, they were still terrified. But they did feel better.

The bladed creature moved away as a new creature exited the larger ship.

Jake and Tobias looked over the wall to see what was going on.

"They're all standing attention," Jake said.

"How are you supposed to know if the giant centipedes or Salad Shooters from Hell are standing attention?" Marco hissed.

Then He appeared.

((Visser Three.)) The Andalite said in pure disgust.

Visser Three was an Andalite...

Or at least an Andalite Controller.

"Isn't that an Andalite?" Rachel whispered. The others had all looked over the wall.

((He is the only Yeerk to manage to get an Andalite for his host. His is your main enemy.)) The Andalite said.

Visser Three walked towards the wounded Andalite. It took the teens a while to figure out which one was which, because they looked so alike. The only difference was that one was evil.

((Well, well.)) Visser Three said to the wounded Andalite.

It took the teens a while to realize they were hearing the Visser's thoughts.

"Was that-?" Danny began.

Tobias nodded slowly.

"If the Visser can hear our thoughts-" Marco started.

((He cannot hear your thoughts,)) The Andalite stated. ((And he won't unless you are directing them to him. The reason why you hear his is because he is broadcasting for all to hear. This is a great victory for him,))

((What have we here? A meddling Andalite?)) Visser Three looked more closely at the

Andalite's ship. ((Ah, but no ordinary Andalite warrior. Prince Elfangor-Sirinial-Shamtul, if I

am not mistaken. An honor to meet you. You're a legend. How many of our fighters have you

shredded? Seven, or was it eight by the time the battle ended?))

Elfangor didn't answer. But the teens had a feeling that it was more than eight.

((The very last Andalite in this sector of space. Yes, I'm afraid your Dome ship has been

completely destroyed. Completely. I watched it burn as it fell into the atmosphere of this little

world.))

((There will be others,)) the Andalite prince said .

The Visser took a step closer to the Andalite. ((Yes, and when they come it will be too late.

This world will be mine. My own contribution to the Yeerk Empire, Our greatest conquest.

And then I'll be Visser One.))

((What do you want with these Humans?)) the Andalite asked. ((You have your Taxxon allies.

You have your Hork-Bajir slaves. And other slaves from other worlds. Why these people?))

((Because there are so many, and they are so weak,)) Visser Three sneered. ((Billions of

bodies! And they have no idea what's happening. With this many hosts we can spread throughout the universe, unstoppable! Billions of us. We'll have to build a thousand new

Yeerk pools just to raise Yeerks for half this number of bodies. Face it, Andalite, you have

fought well and bravely. But you have lost))

Visser Three stepped right up to the Andalite. The teens felt Elfangor's fear, but instead of letting it get the best of him, he pushed away the pain of the wound and got to his feet. If he had to die now, he wasn't going to let it be when he was laying on the ground, helpless.

But Visser Three was not done taunting his foe. ((I promise you one thing, Prince Elfangor -

when we have this planet, with its rich harvest of bodies, we will move against the Andalite

home world. I will personally hunt down your family. And I will personally oversee the

placement of my most faithful lieutenants in their heads. I hope that they will resist, so I can

hear their minds scream.))

The Andalite struck!

His tail whipped up and over, so fast you couldn't really see it. The Visser twisted his head

aside. The Andalite's tail blade missed the Visser's head by a bare half-inch. But it sliced into

his shoulder. Blood - or something like blood - sprayed from the wound.

Jake was about to say "yes" before Tobias spoke up.

"Guys, where's Danny?"

His question was almost covered up by the Visser's yell but they still heard it. The others looked around and noticed that Danny had disappeared, without a trace.

One of the Hork-Bajir Controllers felt a slight change in temperature. He ignored it.

The alien shouldn't have.

Danny gave a small smirk as he turned intangible and overshadowed the alien. He had chosen the one closest to Elfangor's ship. He turned himself/the Hork-Bajir invisible and entered, then thought "fire".

A blue light came from the ship and hit the Bug Fighter. Danny barely had enough time to escape the ship before Visser Three ordered them to set the ship on fire as the fighter sizzled and disappeared.

The night exploded into bright light. Red lights came from the Visser's ship and the remaining fighter. The Andalite ship glowed and slowly disintegrated.

In the flash of light, Jake thought he saw three or four humans. He told this to Marco.

"Prisoners?" Marco wondered.

((Take the Andalite. Hold him for me,)) Visser Three ordered.

As Danny hovered up above, he felt like he should overshadow the Visser and make him order to release the Andalite then tell his friends and Elfangor to run but a stronger urge to make sure that Elfangor doesn't cheat death won.

Three of the Hork-Bajir grabbed the wounded Andalite. They had their wrist blades at his throat but knew better than to actually hurt him.

That privilege was to go to the Visser.

Then the teens saw why the Visser was the only one to capture an Andalite body. As they watched, the Visser grew bigger as he morphed.

His Andalite head grew large, larger. Much larger. The four horse like legs merged into two

and then expanded, each leg becoming as big around as a redwood tree. The delicate Andalite

arms sprouted and became tentacles.

"This isn't real," Cassie whispered. "This isn't real."

In the hideously bloated head, a mouth appeared. It was filled with teeth as long as your arm.

The mouth grew wider and wider, becoming a monstrous, terrifying grin.

There was nothing left of the Andalite body, A monster had taken its place.

The monster roared, shaking the ground. The teens covered their ears but they still heard his roar, themselves shaking with the ground.

The Visser had turned into a monster that made you think the Hork-Bajir and Taxxons were toys. With one huge tentacle, he grabbed the Andalite by the neck.

"No, no, no," Cassie was whispering over and over again. "No, no, no, no."

"Don't look," Rachel said to her. She put her arm around Cassie's shoulder and held her close.

Then she reached for Tobias and took his hand. I guess you never really know someone till

you see them scared. And even scared to death, with tears running down her face, Rachel had

strength to spare.

Visser Three pulled the Andalite Prince away from the Hork-Bajir. Elfangor was desperate to die fighting, striking the monster with his tail blade, though to the Visser it was like being prodded with a toothpick.

He lifted the wounded Prince in the air, high above the teens, with the exception of Danny, who was trying not to help someone else cheat death, and even if he did, Elfangor would still be dead by the next few days.

He opened his mouth wide open.

Danny wished he could have a way to help Elfangor cheat death and have him still living, but he knew it wouldn't be possible.

Jake didn't know what came over him right then. He had been so afraid. So terrified. But it was like something just snapped in his head. He couldn't just hide and watch, he couldn't.

"You filthy - "

Jake jumped to his feet. He snatched up a piece of rusted iron pipe from the ground and started to climb over that wall.

He guessed he just went crazy or something. It had to be craziness, because there was no way that he, alone, armed with a piece of pipe, was going to accomplish anything.

((No!))

The Andalite's silent cry made him hesitate. Jake felt Marco's hands grabbing at his shirt and

pulling him back. Tobias and Marco held him down. Rachel put her hand over his mouth. Jake

was trying to scream, or curse, or something.

"Shut up, you idiot!" Marco hissed. "You're just going to get us all killed."

"Jake, don't." Cassie put her hand on his cheek. "He doesn't want you to die for him. Don't

you realize? He's dying for us."

Jake shoved Marco and Tobias away angrily. But he was in control of himself again.

They peaked over the wall again. They saw that the Andalite was still hanging over the monster's mouth.

And then they saw the Visser drop the Andalite into his huge gaping mouth.

The mouth closed. The huge teeth ground up the Andalite, tearing him to shreds.

At the very last moment, the Andalite cried out. It was a cry of despair. One that they would never forget. One that would haunt Danny, for he had the chance to stop the Andalite from having this horrible death, even if he would die soon. It was something that they would all have nightmares about. One that they wouldn't be able to get over.

The Hork-Bajir Controllers seemed to be laughing, in this weird way. The Taxxons were reaching upward and the teens now knew why. A part of Elfangor had fallen from the Visser's mouth. The Taxxon closest to him gobbled him up.

Tobias turned away. Cassie had tears running- so did Jake.

Then they heard a horrible sound- even though they were used to it. The sound was laughter- Human laughter. It was the Human Controllers laughing, they were laughing as though this entire thing was a show. Jake thought he knew one of those laughing voices, but it was covered up by the huffs of the Hork-Bajir before he could find out if it was one he knew.

Visser Three slowly lost the shape of his morph and gained his Andalite body once again. ((Ah, nothing like a good Antarean Bogg morph for . . . taking a bite out of your enemies,)) He said.

Once again the controllers laughed. Jake was still trying to place that familiar laughter but just couldn't.

Marco began throwing up. It was reasonable, seeing the case that had happened.

However, that sound just caught the attention of the nearest Hork-Bajir.

It turned it's snake like head.

The teens were silent, frozen. Danny watched from above, trying to figure out how to help his friends. He could have overshadowed the Hork-Bajir but then more Controllers could noticed and Danny wouldn't be able to make enough clones to stop them from finding out.

Suddenly the teens on the ground turned and ran before they knew what they were doing. It was a chain reaction, sort of.

The Hork-Bajir yelled.

"Split up! They can't get all of us!" Jake yelled at the others.

Danny knew that alone there was very slim chance of his friends surviving. He then made three clones of himself and overshadowed Tobias, Marco and Cassie, seeing they needed the most help with running. He used his powers to help make them faster, giving them a better chance. He then saw Jake and Rachel slowing as the Hork-Bajir yelled at his fellow Controllers. He strained to make another clone, sent that clone to Rachel and sent himself to help Jake.

He wasn't sure how he had been able to know where each of his friends were going without having them run into something. He just was. All he knew was that if he needed to make another clone, he'd most likely pass out.

The Halfa managed to make all of them run faster and escape the Controllers without passing out. He had each clone bring one of them home, himself still in Jake when he brought him home before he himself passed out on his own bed.

Danny's last conscious thought was, _I hope Vlad never ends up joining them. I got enough of him on my hands without him being on the same side as the Yeerks._

**hi again! don't expect this to be so similar to the original books. I'm trying to find a way to change the books to fit my needs. and what my needs are i have _no_ idea. all i know is that i'm using Danny to explain things that happened without explanation, though the ship using a shredder could have been Elfangor... but they did say that they had no memory of how they got home, right? and when you overshadow someone, don't they have no idea what happened? so there. shouldn't i be working on chapter 7? hm. i'll get on it now.**


	7. Invasion

I don't own DP or Animorphs... OK, chap 6-7 = chap1-15 in The Invasion... how many pages long is this thing?! oh and part of it, i was lazy so i just copied and pasted the words that were at the site.

CHAPTER SEVEN

RING... RING... RING...

The Halfa groaned as he heard the phone ring. After what he had done he didn't want to be disturbed. He wanted to sleep until the the next day (Saturday) was over.

Finally the ringing stopped. Jazz had picked it up.

"Hello? Yeah, he's here. He should be up. I'll get him for you. Danny!!" Jazz was saying.

"What?" Danny moaned.

"It's a guy named Jake! He wants to talk to you!" Jazz answered.

"Fine." The boy rolled his eyes as he grabbed the phone that was on his bedside table. He pressed talk. "Hello?"

"Hey, Danny, you OK?" Jake replied.

"Mm... yeah, I guess I am," Danny muttered as he looked for any scratches on him.

"Where'd ya go last night? You just disappeared suddenly." Jake stated.

That got Danny awake. He wasn't sure how to answer his friend. "I couldn't stand it. Somehow I managed to get up and run. I-I don't know. I'm not even sure how I got home myself," Danny half lied. He didn't know how he managed to get up but he did know how he got home. "You?"

"I guess I'm OK. I just can't believe that it could be real. I mean, aliens? There's no way, right?" Jake wondered.

No way my ass. I'm proof of "no way." I'm half dead for goodness sake! Danny thought. "I don't know. It seemed pretty real to me. All I know is that, if there's a way for me to forget that image of the Visser eating the Andalite... I'm taking it." But that doesn't mean giving up the rest of my life.

"Y- wait a second. How did you see it if you left before the Visser even morphed? Tobias noticed you left long before the Andalite died." Jake stated.

"I- uh Tobias told me what happened. It painted a very disgusting picture in my head." Danny said quickly. He knew that there was a slim change of Jake believing him.

"OK. Just wanted to see if you were OK, bye." Jake said.

"Bye," Danny repeated as Jake hanged up.

And just as Danny thought he'd be able to sleep, the phone rang again.

Blindly, Danny reached for the phone again. He pressed talk, not even bothering to check who it was. "Mm?" Danny groaned.

"Danny?" Tobias' voice asked.

"Tobias?" Danny said.

"Hey, are you OK? You left so suddenly last night. We didn't even notice that you disappeared." Tobias stated.

"Yeah, I'm OK. I just got freaked out." Danny replied.

"Uh, Danny, was it you that got us home safely?" Tobias asked.

Danny blinked before remembering he told Tobias. "Yeah. I was so tempted to overshadow the Visser so the Andalite would be safe."

"But you didn't." Tobias said.

"I would have, but I realized that even if I did that he would still die." Danny had noticed the slightly sad tone in his friend's voice.

"I understand," Tobias' voice replied after a while. "Well, I guess you're tired."

"Like hell." Danny smirked. "You try making sure that five different people escape aliens safe and sound."

"Yeah, I guess that's hard. I'm coming over tomorrow so we can go to Jake's to see what we're going to do and see if we can morph. Bye." Tobias hanged up before Danny could wonder what he had meant.

Danny looked up at his ceiling, and fell asleep slowly.

-the next day-

"Hey Tobias!" Jazz said cheerfully as she opened the door. "It's been a while,"

"Yeah, years. Is Danny up?" Tobias replied as he entered the house.

"I think so. Go up and check. You guys can do whatever you're going to do, just as long as he's home in less than a day." Jazz stated.

"That's a lot of time," Tobias said. "But we'll be back by tomorrow. Hopefully earlier." He walked up the stairs and in front of Danny's room. He knocked loudly, knowing that he was a deep sleeper when he wanted to.

"Mm?" Danny moaned from inside.

"Danny, it's me. Come on, we need to leave, remember?" Tobias stated. "We're going to Jake's."

There was a shuffling of steps as Danny walked towards the door. He then slowly unlocked his door. Danny's hair was messier than normal, his shirt was covered in dirt and torn a bit along with his jeans. "Repeat that?" He said, rubbing his eyes.

Tobias rolled his eyes. "I said we're going to Jake's. Don't you remember that I told you that last night?"

"Last night..." Danny muttered. He shivered. "OK, let me change though. Jazz will be wondering what had happened if she saw me dressed like this." He closed the door. In a few minutes he opened it again and this time the bags under his eyes were gone. "OK, now where are we going again?"

They started down the stairs and waved goodbye to Jazz. "To Jake's. I think that you know where it is since you brought him home last night." Tobias stated. They turned into an alley.

"Mm." Danny nodded. He turned into Phantom and they flew to Jake's.

-at Jake's-

Jake's mom had opened the door and let them in. She led them to Jake's room and started pounding on the door to get him awake. "Jake, are you awake in there?" She asked.

"I'm up now." Jake answered as he got up because of the noise.

"Your friends Tobias and Danny are here." Jake's mom stated.

"Tobias and Danny?" Jake repeated, confused at why they were here.

"It's us. Can we come in?" Tobias said.

"Uh, yeah." Jake blinked and sat up in his bed. He heard Tobias and Danny say thanks to his mom.

Tobias was glowing- not in a radioactive or ghostly way, just glowing. His eyes were wide, his face a huge grin, like he was trying not to bounce around the room and having trouble. "I did it." He said.

Jake looked at Danny, who was behind Tobias, confused. Danny just shrugged. "What are you talking about?" He yawned.

"I became Dude."

Jake stopped yawning, his mouth snapping shut, while Danny's did the opposite. They both knew that Dude was Tobias' cat.

"What do you mean, 'became Dude'?" Danny asked.

"Just that. I morphed, just like the Andalite said." Tobias stated.

The other two boys stared at their friend, as if he was crazy- though if he was crazy, then they might as well be crazy too.

"It was so amazing. It didn't hurt or anything. I was petting him, and thinking about the whole

thing last night, right? So I thought, why not give it a try?" He was pacing back and forth,

snapping his fingers, bursting with enthusiasm. Very unlike Tobias. "I didn't even know how to begin. So I just made sure the door to my room was locked. Fortunately, my uncle was still asleep." He took a breath. "So there I was, just sitting on my bed, thinking about it. Concentrating. Thinking about becoming Dude. I looked down at my hand." He looked at his friends. "What do you think I saw?"

"I dunno." Jake answered.

"Yourself?" Danny partly joked.

"Fur. I saw fur. I was growing claws, too! You guys should have seen Dude. He was clawing me up. I had to but him outside before I could finish." Tobias stated.

"Are you sure you weren't dreaming, Tobias?" His friends said at the same time, though they knew that Tobias was completely sure that he wasn't.

"I wasn't, I swear." Tobias' eyes met his friends and they knew that he had tried to pretend it wasn't real but he was still telling the truth. Jake and Danny looked away- bad dreams should stay in your head,they shouldn't become reality.

"I just kept on changing, and in a few minutes... I... wasn't... myself anymore." Tobias said.

His eyes drilled holes into his friends. "You have no idea how it is being a cat... even I can't describe it. But you're so strong, you have all this coiled power, and the way you can move! I mean, I was able to jump onto my dresser, three feet up in the air, and landed perfectly! It's like thirty feet if you were a human." He stopped suddenly and looked at his friends. "You guys don't believe me, do you?" He wondered.

"Look, it's just that sometimes it's hard to tell the difference between reality and dreams." Jake stated.

"You think I'm crazy,"

His friends were silent for a minute.

"I don't know, Tobias. You say that you turned into your pet Dude. Turned into an actual animal. That would make lots of people believe you're crazy." Danny stated. "And I've seen crazy things."

Tobias nodded thoughtfully. A faint smile appeared on his face. "I get it. You guys don't want it to be true."

"What? You mean do I want to believe that you can become a cat?" Jake began.

"And that Earth is being invaded by over sized slugs who live in other beings, turning them into their slaves?" Danny continued.

"Do you think either of us want to believe that?" Jake finished.

"What about the Andalite?" Tobias asked softly.

His friends were quiet. They didn't want to pretend that the Andalite was fake for some reason.

"Stand right there." Tobias said and moved his friends to the position he wanted them to stand in.

"What are you going to do?" Danny raised an eyebrow, both him and Jake confused.

"I'm going to help you two decide if it's real or not."

"Tobias," Jake began.

"Just, just watch. And don't scream." Tobias interrupted.

They were silent.

At first, Jake and Danny thought that nothing was happening at all. That is, until they realized that there was something weird with his eyes. The pupils weren't round now and had this reflective green light in them. And his mouth seemed to be puffing out.

He was shrinking. Growing smaller right before my eyes.

The neck of his shirt was loose. His pants started scrunching up at the ankles. He was

shriveling. And at the same time fur - yes, fur! - began to grow on his hands and neck and

face. It was gray, striped with black, just like Dude's.

Jake had this desire to laugh- but if he started, he knew there was the chance he won't ever stop.

Tobias was more cat than human now. The pointed ears rose atop his head. The whiskers

stuck straight out from beneath his delicate pink nose. He had dropped to all fours, clothing

now half-draped over him, like so many rags. His tail twitched. Yes - his tail.

Jake wondered if he would drop dead because of this lump in his throat or the jack hammer beating of his heart. He and Danny both then wondered if they were asleep still or if they were actually awake.

But if it was really a dream, it was really convincing.

There, sat a tabby cat where less than two minutes ago had stood their friend.

"I hope I'm asleep." Jake said.

"Me too." Danny agreed.

((You two aren't dreaming.))

"Tobias?" Danny wondered.

"Was that you?" Jake asked.

((You guys can hear me?)) Tobias replied. He "sounded" surprised- that is, if you can call that thing even a sound.

"Yeah," Jake answered cautiously.

((I didn't know I could do this, talk like the Andalite, I mean.)) Tobias stated.

"I guess you have to be in a different form other than yourself for it to work." Danny replied.

Then Jake and Danny realized they were talking to a CAT. Even though it was Tobias in a cat body, they couldn't believe it. Then they thought that maybe Tobias was crazy.

Tobias tried to get them talking again. ((Hey, watch this.)) He jumped precisely onto an autographed basketball that was laying in the corner of the room. Around four feet roughly.

((Excellent! Hey, pull a string for me.)) Tobias told his friends.

"String?" Danny began.

"For what?" Jake finished.

((First, because it's fun. Second, stop finishing each others' sentences. It sort of creeps me out.)) Tobias stated.

Danny shrugged and Jake grabbed an old string from a present from two years ago. "This OK?" He dragged it around a foot in front of Tobias' nose. He settled back on his haunches and began wiggling his hindquarters. He pounced! He landed on the string, grabbed it in his sharp teeth, rolled over, and began ripping at the string like it was the only thing on Earth that mattered.

Jake tried pulling the string away, but he pounced again.

((Yes! Got it!))

"Tobias, what are you doing?" Danny demanded.

((Pull it faster! I see it! I got it!))

-quick switch over to Jake's POV, that would make my life so much easier-

"Tobias, what are you doing?" I shouted. "You're playing with a string!"

Suddenly he stopped. His tail twitched. He looked up at me with those cold cat eyes, but I'm

sure I saw a look of confusion there.

I . . . I don't know, he admitted. It's like . . . like I'm me, but I'm also Dude. I want to

chase strings, and oh man, if only there was a real, live mouse around! I'd really love to track

it. To follow it so quietly. To listen to its heartbeat. To hear its scratchy little feet. I'd wait till

just the right moment, and then a perfect pounce through the air, claws stretched out . . . He

extended his claws to demonstrate.

"Tobias, I think we're learning something here," Danny said. We were both amazed on how we were getting used to talking to a cat.

What? What are we learning?

"I think you aren't just Tobias. You really are a cat. I mean, you have all the same instincts.

You want to do the things a cat wants to do." I stated.

Yes. I can feel it. It's like I'm two different animals melded into one. I can think like a

person and like a cat

"You'd better change back," Danny said.

He nodded his cat head up and down. Very weird to see, I can tell you - a cat nodding yes in

a thoughtful, normal way.

You're right.

The change back to human form was at least as strange as the change to cat. The fur

disappeared, leaving bare patches of pink skin behind. A nose grew out of the flat cat face.

The tail was sucked up like a snake going up a vacuum cleaner.

Tobias stood there, looking embarrassed. He quickly pulled on his clothes. "Maybe with

some practice we can figure out how to change back into our clothes."

"We?" Danny and I replied in unison.

He smiled his gentle smile again. "Don't you get it yet, Danny, Jake? If I can do it, so can you."

I shook my head. "I don't think so, Tobias."

Suddenly he grew angry. He grabbed me by both my shoulders and actually shook me. "Don't

you understand, Jake? It's all true. All of it." He then did the same to Danny.

Danny pushed him away. We didn't want to hear it.

But he kept after me. "Guys, it's all true. The Andalite gave us these powers for a reason."

"Fine," I snapped. "You use them."

"I will," he said. "But we'll need you two. You, Jake, most of all."

It was freaky how he had said the last sentence. It just wasn't Tobias. "Why me?"

He hesitated. "Geez, Jake, don't you understand? I know what I can do and what I can't do. I

can't make plans and tell people what to do. I'm not the leader. You are."

I laughed rudely. "I'm not the leader of anything."

He just looked at me with those deep, troubled eyes - eyes I can now see only in my memory.

"Yes, Jake, you are our leader. You are the one who can bring us all together and help us

defeat the Controllers. We have the ability to be much more than we are, to have the stealth

of a cat, and . . . and the eyes of eagles, and the sense of smell of a dog, and . . . and the speed of a horse or a cheetah. We're going to need it all, if we have any hope of holding out against the Controllers,"

I wanted it not to be true. I wanted none of it to be true.

But I knew that it was.

I nodded slowly. It felt like I was agreeing to something awful. Like I was volunteering for a

trip to the dentist or something much worse. It felt like a million pounds of weight had just

landed on my shoulders.

I knew what I had to do next.

"Well," I said grimly. "I guess I'd better go find Homer."

Homer. That's my dog.

As I turned to get him, I heard Danny say something to Tobias that didn't make sense- "I'm already helping save the world, Tobias. Adding this on my back is just too much."

When I came back with Homer, Danny had left. Tobias told me Danny went home to think.

It isn't painful. Morphing, I mean.

I petted Homer for a while, feeling like a complete and total fool. "This is the stupidest thing

I have ever done," I told Tobias.

"Look, you have to concentrate. At least, I did, I mean, I formed this mental picture of Dude,

right? I thought about becoming him."

"I see. So I have to, like, meditate on becoming a dog."

"That's right. You have to think about it. You have to want it."

Normally I would have figured he was nuts. But I had just seen him turn into a cat. So if he

was nuts, so was I.

I thought about becoming Homer. As I stroked his fur I formed a picture in my mind of me

becoming Homer. Homer became weirdly quiet while I did it. Like he was asleep, only his

eyes were open.

"Just like Dude," Tobias commented. "I think the process kind of puts the animal in a trance

or something."

"He's just scared because he thinks his master is a looney tune." I continued stroking Homer's

fur and concentrating, and Homer continued to lie very still. "Okay, now what?" I asked

Tobias.

"Now we better put Homer outside. He might get slightly freaked by watching you turn into

him."

It took Homer about ten seconds to come out of his trance. But then he jumped up, normal,

hyperactive Homer again. I put him outside in the yard.

Tobias was sitting patiently when I got back, just waiting. "Give it a try," he urged me.

"Think about it. Want it."

I took a deep breath. I closed my eyes. I recalled the picture of Homer I'd formed in my mind.

I thought about becoming Homer.

I opened my eyes. "Bow wow," I said, laughing. "Guess it didn't work for me, Tobias."

The back of my hand itched and I scratched it.

"Jake?" Tobias said.

"What?"

"Look at your hand."

I looked at my hand. It was covered with orange fur.

I jumped about a foot, straight up in the air. "Ohh! Ohh!" I stared at my hand. The fur had

stopped growing.

"Don't be scared," Tobias advised, "Go with it. Now you've stopped the morph. You have to

concentrate."

"My hand!" I said. "Fur!"

"Yeah, and your ears . . . " Tobias said.

I ran to the mirror over my dresser. My ears had moved. They had slid up the side of my

head, and were definitely larger than they should be.

"Go on, it's so cool!" Tobias said.

"Cool? It's . . . it's . . . creepy. It's weird. It's . . . I mean, look at my hands! I have fur!"

"You have to do this," Tobias said.

"I don't have to do anything," I said sullenly.

Tobias nodded. "Okay, you're right. You don't have to do this. You can just forget what we

saw last night. And forget what we know. And as the Yeerks take over more and more

people, you can just ignore it. We can all just go along and grow up in a world where human

beings are nothing but bodies to be used by murdering aliens."

Okay, when he put it that way it didn't sound like a great option.

"Come on," Tobias urged.

I swallowed hard. I closed my eyes. I thought of Homer. Of being Homer.

I felt the itch mess again, and when I opened my eyes, there was fur growing on my arms.

And fur growing out of my face. And fur curling up from under my collar. My legs itched

and I realized they were growing fur, too. My bones . . . well, they didn't exactly hurt, but

they did feel very strange. You know when you go to the dentist and he gives you Novocaine

so the drill doesn't really hurt, but you know it should hurt? I guess that's what it's like.

My bones shortened. I could feel my backbone stretching as it extended out into a tail. There

was a scraping sound as my knees suddenly reversed direction. I toppled forward, no longer

able to walk upright.

When my hands hit the floor they weren't exactly hands anymore. The fingers were gone. All

that was left were short, stubby nails.

My face bulged out. My eyes drew closer together.

Tobias got up and tilted the mirror down so I could see myself.

I watched the final transformation as the last patches of my pink human flesh disappeared.

And the tail - my tail - sprouted to its full length.

I was a dog. It was insane. But just the same. I was a dog.

I knew I should be scared by all this, only I wasn't. I was ecstatic. I was giddy. I was thrilled.

Happiness just washed over me, Happiness filled me up.

I breathed in through my ridiculously long nose and wow! Wow! The smells. Oh, man, you

have no idea! I breathed in and right away I knew my mom was toasting a waffle in the

kitchen. And I knew Tobias had walked through the territory of a big male dog. And I knew

things I couldn't even explain in human words. It was like being blind all your life and then

suddenly you can see.

I ran over to Tobias and sniffed his shoe. I wanted a better idea of who that big male dog was.

From the scent of his urine picked up by Tobias's shoe I got a sort of picture of him. See,

Homer knew him. His owners called him Streak. He was neutered, like me. He spent most of

his time in his yard, but he broke out sometimes by digging under his fence. He got a mix of

canned and dry food, Purina. No table scraps, unlike me.

All this information made me happy all over again, and I had to wag my tail. I looked up at

Tobias. He looked tall and strange and not very colorful, I wasn't all that interested in looking

at stuff. Smelling things was way better.

INTRUDER!

There was a noise in the yard. A dog! An unknown dog in MY yard. An INTRUDER!

I ran to the window and perched against it and cut loose.

"Rrrawf! Rrawf rrawf! rrawfrrawfrrawfrrawf!"

I barked as loud as I could. No WAY some unknown dog was just going to walk through MY

yard.

"Jake, get a grip," Tobias said. "That's Homer out there."

Homer? What? But I was . . .

I tucked my tail between my legs. What was going on?

"Jake, listen to me," Tobias said. "It's just what happened to me when I morphed into a cat.

The dog brain is part of your brain now. You have to deal with it."

But . . . there's a dog in MY yard.

"That's Homer, Jake. You are Jake. You're just in a body copied from Homer's DNA. That's

the real Homer out there. You put him out there. Focus. You are Jake. Jake."

I took several deep breaths. The smells! Oh, boy, there was this one smell I couldn't quite -

Focus, Jake! I ordered myself. Focus!

Slowly I calmed the dog part of my mind.

Let go of the smells. Let go of the sound of a dog out in your yard.

It wasn't easy, that first time. Being a dog is so completely amazing. For one thing, there's

nothing halfway about it. You're never sort of happy. You're HAPPY! You're never sort of

bummed. You're totally, completely bummed. And boy, when you get hungry in dog form,

you are nuts on the subject of food.

There was a knock on my bedroom door. Yes, my bedroom door. I knew who I was again. I

was Jake. Jake with four legs, a tail and a snout, but Jake.

The knocking seemed incredibly loud to my dog ears.

"Jake, you got Homer in there with you?" My brother Tom's voice. "Mom's on the phone,

stop him yapping - "

He opened the door and stepped in. He looked around, confused.

"Who are you?" he demanded of Tobias.

"I'm Tobias. I'm a friend of Jake's."

"Well, where is he?"

"Oh . . . he's around," Tobias said.

Tom looked down at me. There was a strange smell about him. My dog brain couldn't quite

identify it. It was an unsettling, dangerous smell. And somehow, in my own mind, I heard the

echo of a laugh. A very human laugh I had heard the night before as Visser Three swallowed

the Andalite whole.

"Bad dog," Tom said to me. "You keep quiet. Bad dog." And then he left.

I was devastated. I wasn't a bad dog. Not really. I was just barking because some other dog

was in MY yard. Bad dog? I was a bad dog? No, I wanted to be a good dog. I crept into the

corner, utterly miserable.

Tobias knelt down and patted my head.

When he scratched me behind the ears, I felt a little better.

I called all the others on the phone after I got done morphing back into my normal body.

Tobias took off on his own, saying he'd hook up with us later at Cassie's farm. I was on the

kitchen phone with Cassie when Tom came in.

"Oh, there you are," he said.

I covered the mouthpiece. "Yeah. Tobias said you were looking for me before."

"I just wanted you to shut your dog up," Tom said. He turned a chair around backward and

straddled it.

I hesitated. For some reason I didn't want to talk to Cassie with Tom listening in. "I'll just see

you there in a couple hours, okay?" I told Cassie. I hung up.

I looked over at Tom. He's bigger than me, even though I'm not exactly small. His hair is

darker, almost black, while mine is brown.

I had always trusted him. He wasn't like a lot of guys who pound on their younger brother.

We were always kind of close. At least, until the last year or so. Somehow we just weren't

spending as much time together. Partly it was that he was involved in this club called The

Sharing. They did all this stuff together, so he was busy a lot of the time.

The thing is, Tom should have been the very first person I told about all the stuff that had

happened. But as I was sitting there watching him munch toast, I just had this feeling. This

feeling that said No, this has to be a secret. Even from Tom.

Instead I told him the other thing I was afraid to tell him.

"I, uh . . . I didn't make the team," I said.

"What team?" he asked. He looked puzzled.

"What team? The basketball team. Your old team."

"Oh. Too bad," he said.

"Too bad?" I repeated. I could not believe how little he seemed to care.

"It's just sports," he said. He munched another big bite of toast.

"Just sports?" I couldn't stop repeating what he said. Tom, saying sports were no big deal? No

way. He lived for sports. "Yeah, I guess I just don't have your total skill."

He shrugged. "Well, I quit the team, anyway. A couple days ago."

I practically fell off my chair. "You quit! You quit the team? And you didn't even talk to me

about it? What's the deal?"

"I didn't say anything because I knew you and Dad would make a big thing of it. Look, there

are more important things than throwing balls through hoops," he said. He had this mysterious look in his eyes. I figured he meant girls were the more important thing. "Besides," he added, "we do much cooler stuff at The Sharing. Maybe you should join up."

I was stunned. Obviously, Tom and I were further apart than I had realized.

When we were done talking, I headed outside to mow the lawn. I mow the lawn every

Saturday. It's my major chore. That, and taking out the trash, which I hate, because we have

to do all this recycling stuff.

When I was finally done mowing and trimming and raking, I hopped on my bike and took

off.

I had arranged with everyone to hook up at Cassie's farm. It isn't exactly a normal farm,

although it had been in the old days. And they do still have horses and a cow. But now the

big red main barn is the Wildlife Rehabilitation Clinic. Cassie's father runs it. They take in

any kind of injured animal except pet-type animals, There are always lots of birds, along with

squirrels and deer and skunks and so on. Sometimes they get a bobcat or a fox or even a wolf.

Cassie's mom is a vet, too, but she works at The Gardens. That's this huge amusement park

that also has a zoo - or I guess they call it a wildlife park. Luckily, Cassie really loves

animals. It would have been hard, having her parents, if she didn't really love animals.

Me, I have a dog. Tobias has a cat. Cassie has everything from porcupines to polar bears.

By the time I got there, Marco, Tobias, and Rachel were already waiting outside the barn.

Rachel had her face turned up to catch the tanning rays of the sun. Cassie wasn't there yet. I

figured she was doing chores. She had tons of work to do around there.

"Hey, guys," I said.

Rachel opened her eyes and immediately thrust a newspaper at me. "Look," she said, pointing

to an article.

I started to read the article. It wasn't very long. It said that police claimed there had been a

disturbance in the construction site the night before. It said several people had called,

claiming they'd seen flying saucers landing there, followed by bright lights.

"Cool," I said, looking up. "So the cops know about it now. That's a relief."

"Keep reading," Rachel said.

The article went on to say that the police had arrived on the scene and found a group of

teenagers playing with fireworks. The teenagers had run away. Fireworks were discovered at

the scene.

The police spokesman had laughed at the reports of flying saucers. "It was just a bunch of

kids playing where they shouldn't have been," he said. "There were definitely no flying

saucers. People shouldn't be so quick to believe nonsense."

"But this is a total lie," I said.

"Ding ding ding ding! Correct answer. Johnny, tell our contestant what he's won," Marco

said.

"Did you see the last part?" Rachel pressed.

I read the last sentence. It froze me up good, I can tell you. Police were offering a reward for

information on the teenagers.

"They're looking for us," Marco said.

"Why would the police be . . . I mean, why would they lie?" I wondered aloud. But the

answer was pretty obvious.

Marco laughed his sardonic laugh. "Let's see, Captain Brilliant - would it be because the cops

are Controllers?"

"Probably not all the cops," Tobias pointed out.

"If the police have been infiltrated by the Controllers, who knows how many others have,

too?" Rachel asked. "Teachers? People in the government? The newspapers and the TV?"

"Math teachers, for sure," Marco joked.

We all looked around nervously, like we expected to find ourselves surrounded by

Controllers.

"I tried to tell myself it was all a dream," Rachel said.

"Been there," I said.

For a while no one said anything. We all felt the same terrible feeling - like we were all

alone.

Like suddenly we were dealing with stuff that was way, way, way over our heads.

Marco spoke first. "Look, why do we have to deal with this? I say we just forget it. We never

talk about it. We never morph. We just deal with our own lives."

Tobias and Rachel both looked at me. They were waiting for me to argue with Marco.

"Marco, I halfway agree with you - " I started to say.

Suddenly Marco just went ballistic. "We could get killed!" he yelled. "Don't you get it? You

saw what happened to the Andalite. I mean, this is radical stuff, Jake. This is for real. Real!

We could all get killed."

Tobias was looking at Marco with this sideways look, like he thought maybe Marco was

some kind of coward. I knew better. Marco had his reasons.

Marco shook his head. In a quiet voice he said, "Look, I think these Controllers are jerks. But

if something happened to me . . . my dad. He wouldn't be able to handle it."

Two years ago, Marco's mom died. She drowned. They never even found her body. Marco's

dad lost it big time. He totally fell apart. He quit his job as an industrial engineer because he

couldn't handle being around other people. Now he was working as a night janitor, making

barely enough to support Marco. He spent his days sleeping or watching TV with the sound

off.

"You can all think I'm a weasel if you want," Marco said. "I don't care. But if I get killed or

something, my dad will flat-out die. He's only hanging in there because of me."

I wondered if I should go pat him on the back or something. But if I had, Marco, being

Marco, would have just said something sarcastic.

"There's Cassie," Rachel said, shielding her eyes and looking off across the open field.

A horse, galloping across the green. Its black mane was flying in the warm breeze. I didn't

see any rider.

The horse slowed, trotting closer, and suddenly I had a strange feeling about the horse.

"Cassie and I have been here for a while," Rachel said by way of explanation. "She's really

good at this. Look how fast she can do it."

The horse nickered softly. Then the animal began to melt. The big brown eyes became

slightly smaller. The long muzzle became a human mouth.

A thing that was part horse and part Cassie smiled at us with big horse teeth and said, "Hey,

kids."

Marco suddenly sat down. Very hard. He had never seen a morphing.

"It's cool," I said, trying to sound very relaxed. "It's just Cassie."

I decided I'd better be a gentleman and look away. After all, when Tobias and I had morphed,

we'd kind of morphed right out of our clothes. But I noticed that as Cassie emerged from the

horse she was wearing a skintight blue outfit. One of those outfits girls wear to do aerobics.

I watched and saw something beautiful happen. For just a few seconds, she stayed half-horse

and half-human. She reminded me of the Andalite. I realized it was deliberate. Cassie was

controlling the way she morphed.

"Jeez, Rachel," I said. "You're right. Cassie is good."

Suddenly we heard the sound of tires on gravel.

We all spun around. Down the gravel and dirt road came a single black-and-white car.

"The cops!" Tobias cried.

"Cassie. Morph. Now!" I snapped. The police car was coming fast. "We do not want to have

to explain a half-horse half-person."

"Which way should I morph?" Cassie wailed. "Horse or human?" She reared up slightly on

her hind legs.

I knew what was happening. She was fighting the horse's urge to panic.

"Human, human, human!" I said. "Everybody, stand in front of her!"

The police car squealed to a stop, sending the gravel flying. A single policeman stepped out.

I waved at him.

"Morning," he said. "You kids, uh . . . hiding something?"

I wanted to look over my shoulder and see what kind of shape Cassie was in. But that would

have been a mistake. "Hiding something?" I repeated.

"Step aside, all of you," he ordered.

We did, revealing Cassie. Fully human.

The policeman looked puzzled. But then he shrugged.

I breathed a huge sigh of relief.

"Can we help you, officer?" Rachel asked in her best "responsible" voice.

"We're making some inquiries," he said, still looking at Cassie like something must be wrong

with her. "We're looking for some kids who were shooting off fireworks in the construction

site across from the mall last night."

Suddenly Marco started coughing.

"Something the matter with him?" the policeman asked.

"Nope," I said. "Nothing wrong with him."

"We want these kids," the policeman said. "We want them real bad. See, it was dangerous

what they did. Could have been someone hurt. So we want to find the kids."

Suddenly I knew. He was one of them. The policeman was a Controller. I looked at his face.

It seemed normal. But inside his head was a creature from another planet - an evil, parasitic

slug. Just behind those normal, human-looking eyes, something vile lurked.

"I don't know anything about it," I lied.

He looked at me real close, and I began to sweat.

"Hey, you know what?" he said. "You look familiar. You look like a young man I know named Tom."

"He's my brother," I said. I was trying not to let my voice go weird. But I just couldn't forget

the fact that it wasn't really some normal, human cop I was talking to. It was a Yeerk. This

wasn't even a human anymore. Not really. It was a Human-Controller. The human brain was

totally enslaved.

"Tom's your brother, eh? Well, he's a good kid. I know him from The Sharing. I'm one of the

adult supervisors. Great group, The Sharing. You should come to a meeting."

"Yeah, um, Tom invited me already," I said.

"We have a lot of fun."

"Yeah," I repeated,

"Well, you call me if you hear anything about these kids in the construction site. I should

warn you - they may come up with some wild story to conceal their guilt. But you're too

smart to believe a bunch of crazy lies, aren't you?"

"He's a regular genius," Marco said.

Finally the policeman took off.

"Okay, rule number one," Rachel announced firmly. "We don't do anything to attract attention. We have to be secret about everything. Especially morphing."

Cassie looked embarrassed. "Yeah, it was stupid of me. It's just, man! It is so amazing,

running like that. Out in the open spaces, running and running."

"How did you manage to morph with clothing?" I asked. "When Tobias and I did it . . . well,

let's just say it's a good thing neither of you girls was around."

"It took some practice," Cassie said, "And it can only be tight clothing. I tried it with a coat

on. It got shredded. I don't know what we'll do in the winter."

"That's not going to be a problem," Marco said firmly. "Because there isn't going to be any

more morphing."

"Maybe Marco is right," Rachel said. "This is too big for us. We're just kids. We need to find

someone important to tell this to. Someone we can trust,"

"We can't trust anyone," Tobias said flatly. "Anyone could be a Controller. We tell the wrong

person, we are all dead. And the whole world will be doomed."

"I don't want to stop morphing," Cassie said. "Do you realize all we could do with this power? We could communicate with animals, maybe. Help save endangered species,"

"Humans may be the next endangered species, Cassie," Tobias said quietly.

"What do you say, Jake?" Cassie asked.

"Me?" I shrugged. "I don't know. Marco's right, we could all get killed. Rachel's right, this is

too major for a bunch of kids." I hesitated. I didn't like what I was about to say. "But Tobias

is right, too. I mean, the whole world is in danger. And we can't trust anyone."

"So, what do we do?" Rachel demanded.

"Hey, it's not up to me to decide," I said hotly.

"Let's take a vote," Rachel said.

"But the entire group's not here." Tobias stated.

"What do you mean?" Cassie asked.

"Danny. He has the power, he should decide on what we do with it too." Tobias replied.

"Well, we can call him and ask him what he choses." I told him.

Tobias sighed but he nodded.

"I vote we try to live long enough to get driver's licenses," Marco said.

"I vote we do what the Andalite said - fight," Tobias said.

"You've never even been in a fight," Marco sneered. "You can't handle the punks at school.

Suddenly now you want to kick butt on that Visser Three freakazoid?"

Tobias said nothing, but a blush spread up his neck.

"I vote with Tobias," Rachel said, giving Marco a dirty look. "I wish we could dump all this

on someone else. But we can't."

"Let's think it over for a while," Cassie said. "This is a big decision. I mean, it's not like we're

deciding whether to wear jeans or a skirt."

I was relieved. Thank goodness for Cassie.

"Yeah, let's wait for a while," I agreed. "In the meantime, no one say anything to anyone. We

just go back to normal life."

There was a smirk on Marco's face. He thought he'd won. But I wasn't so sure. Tobias was

still blushing. He sent a secret, grateful look to Rachel.

Marco and I took off toward my house again, trying to act normal. We talked about the

baseball season. We talked about who was going to slaughter who in Dead Zone 5, which is

this CD game we were going to play on my computer.

By the time we'd reached my house, we'd run out of stuff to talk about.

-pov change to Danny for now-

I felt something vibrate in my pocket. I sighed when I realized that it was Tobias calling my cell phone.

"Hey Tobias." I said. "What's up?"

"We had a meeting. How come you weren't there?" Tobias wondered.

I realized that this wasn't the normal Tobias but the serious one. "I still wasn't sure. I mean, what if it doesn't even work because of my Ghost Powers?"

"And what if it does? What then?" Tobias replied.

"And what if it does and then I can't use my Ghost powers?" I snapped.

"So what? You'll still be able to fly!" Tobias answered.

"That doesn't matter to me! You don't understand how important my powers are to me!" I yelled.

"Oh, what? So you can turn invisible and all that. What good would that do to you?!" Tobias shouted back.

"It'll help if we were to be stuck with the Controllers and have no way out! Then I could just turn all of us invisible and intangible then we're all out instead of having one or more of us left behind, a Nothlit, or worse, dead!" I stated. I then tried to calm down. "Listen, Tobias, if something was to happen where I lose my Ghost Powers, I won't be me anymore. My powers are part of who I am."

On the other side, I heard Tobias trying to calm down also. "Well, at least you'll still have powers if you lose you ghost ones."

"But it won't be the same," I said. "OK, fine. I'll try morphing. Where can I get a morph?"

"Well, there's Cassie's entire barn of animals. Do you want to try to go for a flight?" Tobias wondered.

"OK, meet you there? Should we tell Cassie we're coming?" I replied.

"I don't think she'll mind us. And yeah, see ya." Tobias hanged up.

-few minutes later-

I entered the barn and saw Cassie shoveling some... poop... or something else... aside. "What are you doing?" I asked, confused at why she'd be doing that.

Cassie jerked around and relaxed when she realized it was me. "Don't do that." She told me. "And I'm doing some chores. What brings you here? And what are those?" She pointed at the two jumpsuits that could be seen in my backpack.

"Tobias and I were thinking of taking a flight. These are some jumpsuits that my family brought here from Amity. I thought that we could use these to morph since we can't wear any baggy clothes." I answered.

She nodded. "OK, we have three birds of prey. An osprey, Northern Harrier, Red-tailed hawk."

We then noticed that Tobias had arrived. "Dude, what's with the suit?" He asked, referring to the jumpsuits.

"To use to morph for now." I answered. "What were you saying?"

"This is the Red-tailed hawk here." Cassie continued, gestured to a bird that was mostly brown and was around two feet long. "That's the osprey." She gestured to another bird with a white body and brown wings. "And this one's the harrier." The Northern Harrier was a slightly small bird that was mostly brown. "Chose one."

"Wouldn't the injuries happen on the morph?" Tobias wondered.

"I don't think it would. I mean, we're only acquiring it's DNA, not the things that happened to it, I guess." Cassie replied.

"OK," I sighed. "I'm going with the Harrier." I decided.

"Red-tail for me." Tobias said.

"All right, reach in, pet the head, acquire it, then remove your hand before they get out of the trance." Cassie stated.

Tobias and I reached into the cages at the same time. We quickly removed them when we were sure that the animals' DNA were in us.

Cassie decided to go inside her house so we could have a bit more privacy while changing. Easy for me, I was wearing a jumpsuit that was exactly like mine in Phantom form minus the logo underneath my clothes. I gave Tobias the other jumpsuit, which was a white one like the one I had put on when I got my powers.

I took a deep breath. Now to see if morphing worked for me.

I concentrated on the brown predator. I pictured each brown feather, its fierce eyes, its curved beak.

My hand itched. I forced myself not to look, just in case if I did, and saw the morphing, I'd never be able to make myself out of mid-morph.

It felt weird as my lips pulled forward and hardened. It wasn't as weird as realizing that I was half dead, but it was still weird. I felt my skin pop up as it became brown feathers. My feet divided into three, two parts in the front, the third part of the talons in the back. My arms and fingers melted into many feathers. I heard crunching as my bones hallowed and changed shape. There was several splash-like sounds as my organs changed, disappeared, and some new ones appeared. I felt a bit of air rushing up towards me as I shrank down to a smaller size- so familiar to when I was shot by the Fenton Crammer.

Suddenly everything stopped. I was finished.

I couldn't believe it. It had worked! I could morph! I was so glad...

That is, until I opened my eyes.

Tobias was staring at me. Cassie still wasn't back.

((What's wrong?)) I wondered. I couldn't tell if it was the actual look of the hawk or if Tobias was really trying to glare at me.

((Flap over to the sink mirror.)) He told me.

That made me wonder what had happened. I flapped my wings and then flew to the sink that was in the barn for when Cassie and/or her family needed to wash up after doing something with the animals.

I almost yelled when I saw what had happened. But, I knew if I did, there was no way I could stop.

I looked like the exact opposite of the brown feathered Northern Harrier. Literally.

If you were to invert the colors of a picture of a male Northern Harrier, that would be me. What feathers that were supposed to be white were replaced by black ones. Most of the brown feathers were now shades of blue. The black feathers of the Harrier were now snowy white. My beak and eyes were now an intense blue, like the blue of my eyes when I used my new powers (the Phantom Phreeze) in order to stop Undergrowth.

Something had happened when I had morphed. It was like I had gone ghost during morphing.

((What the hell happened?!)) I demanded.

((I really don't know. I had just blinked while watching you morph and then the colors were inverted when I opened them again.)) Tobias stated.

((Maybe I can try to go back to normal... Maybe I just accidentally went ghost while morphing.)) I concentrated on the normal picture of a Northern Harrier.

Nothing happened.

((A side effect.)) I decided. ((I can only morph in ghost form.))

((So does that mean that instead of you helping it'll be Danny Phantom?)) Tobias wondered.

I sighed. ((Yeah, I guess so.)) I stared at my reflection in the mirror. ((So, should I still go to Jake's like this?))

Tobias tried to shrug. ((You could, if you wanted. Then we just have to say Phantom had this power all along, just didn't know it.))

((I guess so.)) So much for that. How were we going to explain how come Danny Fenton wasn't helping them?

-Jake's-

((Will you let us in?! We can't hover here forever!)) Tobias told Jake and Marco who were inside Jake's room. We were currently, as Tobias said, hovering outside the window, well, it was easier for me since I had powers, but for Tobias it meant flapping like crazy.

Jake had opened the window for us. We flew in and landed on his dresser, myself invisible.

"It's like an eagle or something." Marco said, referring to Tobias' morph.

((A red-tailed hawk, actually.)) Tobias replied.

"Is that you Tobias?" Marco demanded. "I thought we weren't doing any more of this morphing thing."

((I never agreed to that.)) Tobias stated.

"Well, you should morph back. Remember the Andalite's warning- no longer than two hours in a morph." Jake reminded.

((Are you going to demorph now too?)) Tobias wondered. I guess he thought that if I was going to stay in morph it wouldn't be fair that he had to go back to his human form.

((Yeah, I am, but I'm staying invisible.)) I told him.

Tobias hopped over to Jake's bed and I just moved to the floor.

It was weird how when we both morphed, everything changed at the same time.

Let me tell you something, it is beyond weird, watching feathers turn into skin. The brown

feathers ran together and merged and turned white. It was like the feathers were melting. Like

they had turned into wax and were being heated up.

The beak disappeared quickly, and lips grew out of it. The talons split into five and became

toes.

Halfway through the process of changing, Tobias was a lump, half white, half brown, with

feather-like patterns still visible on his back and chest- and I assume I was too. His face was small and mostly human, except that he still had those sharp, alert hawk's eyes. Two tiny, shriveled arms protruded from the front of his chest with fingers like a baby's.

All in all, it was a pretty disgusting sight.

But the human DNA asserted itself over the hawk's and he became more normal. About three

minutes sifter he'd started the change, there was Tobias wearing a mostly white jumpsuit where a red-tailed hawk had once been. If only I could tell if I was Phantom or Fenton now, that way I'd know if I could turn visible again.

"What's with the jumpsuit?" Jake wondered.

"Danny gave it to me for morphing until we can figure out what clothes we can and can't morph in." Tobias stated. "Can I borrow some normal clothes, though?"

Jake nodded and tossed him a shirt and pants after looking for them for a while.

"That was the coolest thing I've ever done in my life," Tobias said. His whole face was

glowing. "I was riding the thermals."

"What's a thermal?" Jake asked.

"That's when there's warm air rising up from the ground. It forms this cushion under your

wings. You can just float up there. Like a mile up! You just surf the thermals. You guys have

got to do it! It is the best thing ever." Tobias explained. Me, it was fun surfing the thermals, and using my powers to make it even better was what I did.

"Tobias, how on Earth did you do a hawk morph?" Jake demanded.

"There's an injured hawk right there in Cassie's barn," Tobias stated. "There was also an osprey and Northern Harrier but I preferred the hawk."

"How did you fly if the hawk you morphed from was injured?" Jake wondered.

Marco shook his head pityingly. "Jake, do you pay any attention in biology class? DNA has

nothing to do with some injury. The DNA wasn't broken. Just a wing."

Jake pretended not to hear him. "You're lucky that Cassie's dad didn't catch you morphing."

"He's depressed." Tobias said.

That got all of our attentions. Who was Tobias talking about?

"Who? Her dad?" Marco wondered.

Tobias shook his head. "No, the hawk.I mean, I think he knows they aren't trying to hurt him or anything, but he can't stand being cooped up there while his wing heals." Tobias's eyes darkened. "It's terrible when birds have to be locked up in cages. They should be free."

"Yeah, free the birds," Marco commented sarcastically. "I'll get the bumper stickers printed

up."

"You wouldn't have that attitude if you'd been up there with me," Tobias said angrily. "It was

cool being a cat and all. But a hawk! It's just total, absolute freedom."

I hadn't ever seen Tobias so happy. I mean, Tobias has a pretty lousy home life. Thinking

about it, I suddenly had this feeling . . .

Jake repeated the warning. "No more than two hours in any morph, right? You keep track of the

time, right?"

Tobias smiled. "Yeah. I don't have a watch or anything, but with hawk eyes you can actually

see the hands of someone's watch when they're half a mile below you. It's like being

Superman. You can fly, plus you have super vision."

"Now he's Superman," Marco muttered.

"I was looking around. I guess I thought I might be able to see something from the air,"

Tobias said. "I was looking for something that might be a Yeerk pool."

"Was that what we were doing?" I blurted out. Uh-oh...

"Who's that?!" Jake demanded.

Time to figure out if I'm Phantom or Fenton. I sighed. I dropped my invisibility.

Jake and Marco were silent for a while, and I was thinking that I might be still in my morph or something- like being in mid-morph.

I glanced in Jake's mirror. I sighed a sigh of relief. I was in Phantom form luckily. And I wasn't in mid-morph or anything.

"Tobias, what is Danny Phantom doing in my bedroom?" Jake demanded of him.

"Er..." Tobias muttered. He glanced at me, asking me to explain somehow.

"I... well, I was there at the construction site. I had touched the blue box also- but by accident. When I realized that I had the power, I had also came across Tobias morphing. So I decided to help your little group." I said quickly.

I almost thought that they wouldn't believe me- heck, I didn't believe what I had just said! But, either they did, or they just ignored it.

"So, what is a Yeerk Pool?" I wondered.

"It's where Yeerks live in when they're not in a host," Tobias explained. "They have to go there to soak up the nutrients, mainly Kandrona Rays."

Marco and Jake exchanged a suspicious look. I had the same look on my face. How did Tobias know about this if- most likely- last night was the first time he even heard of the name Yeerk?

"How do you know this, Tobias?" Marco spoke out the question that was in our heads.

"At the end," Tobias explained, "when the Andalite told us all to run for it, I stayed behind

for a few seconds, I guess maybe I was too scared even to run."

I shook my head. I knew better. Tobias just hadn't wanted to leave the Andalite alone, I think

maybe the Andalite meant even more to Tobias than to the rest of us.

"Anyway, he gave me . . . visions, I guess you'd call them. Pictures. Information. A lot of it,

all at once. All jumbled. I haven't even started to sort it all out. But I do know about the

Yeerk pools and the Kandrona."

Marco held up his hand, silencing Tobias. "Let me check the door," he said. He went to Jake's

door and peeked out into the hallway. "All clear," he announced.

Tobias and I gave Marco a questioning took.

"Tom," Marco said. "He's one of them."

"Don't make me hurt you," Jake warned him angrily. ""Tom is not a Controller."

"Either way, we should be careful," Tobias said. He lowered his voice. "The Kandrona is a

device that produces Kandrona particles. See, it's like this little portable version of the

Yeerk's own home sun. The Yeerks need Kandrona particles to live, like a human needs

vitamins or whatever. The Kandrona particles are beamed from wherever the Kandrona is

and concentrated in the Yeerk pool. Once every three days, every Yeerk has to leave his host

and go into the pool. They soak up the particles and then they reenter the host body."

"What does this have to do with us flying around the city?" I asked.

"Well, it seems dumb now, but I was thinking maybe I could see the Yeerk pool." He made a

rueful smile. "Saw a lot of swimming pools and some ponds. You get up there and you

realize there are ponds and lakes and streams everywhere. But I didn't see anything special."

"And what if you found some Yeerk pool? Then what?" Marco demanded.

"Then we'd blow it up," Tobias said.

"Wrong," Marco said. "We decided not to get into this."

"No, we agreed not to decide yet," Jake said.

"Well, I've decided," Tobias said.

"Suddenly a wimp is a hero," Marco sneered.

It wouldn't be the first time, I thought, listening to the conversation between my friends.

This time Tobias didn't blush. "Maybe I just found something worth fighting for, Marco."

"You don't even fight for yourself," Marco said.

"That was before," Tobias said softly. "Before the Andalite. Before he died trying to save us.

I can't let that go. I can't let him die for nothing. So whatever you guys decide, I'm going to

fight."

I watched them as if I was still invisible. I silently agreed and disagreed, not wanting to disturb them for some reason.

"Once we find a Yeerk Pool, we blow it up and kill everyone of those disgusting slugs." Tobias told them.

Seeing Marco's reaction to half of the stuff Tobias said, I'm sure I wasn't the only one expecting Marco to yell back. But maybe he saw that Jake- maybe he saw that I did too- agreed with Tobias.

"Remember that cop today, the one who is so interested in finding whoever was at the

construction site? The cop who is probably a Controller?" Marco replied instead.

"What about him?" Jake said.

"Well, let's see. He invites you to join The Sharing. And now along comes Tom. And

suddenly he is very interested in whatever happened at the construction site. And guess what?

Tom also invites you to join The Sharing."

Tobias nodded in agreement. "Maybe this Sharing is an organization for Controllers."

Marco smiled. I know he's Jake's best friend and all that, but it seems like he knows how to make Jake lose it.

"We're pretty sure the cop is a Controller. And I don't care what you say, Jake, I think Tom is,

too. So, here's the deal. You want to get into this fight against the Yeerks?" Marco asked him.

"Fine. Let's see how much you want to do it when it turns out it's your own brother you have

to destroy."

That stopped Jake cold.

"It's not exactly some video game, is it?" Marco said. "This is reality. You don't know

anything about reality, Jake. Nothing bad has ever really happened to you. You have this

perfect family. Like I used to have."

His voice cracked a little. In the few days that I've been able to be here actually and whenever we talked, he never mentioned anything about his family's lost.

Jake realized he was right. He didn't know anything about the real reality- he had a perfect family and all that. But Tobias, Marco and I have- we all lost something.

"So maybe we just walk away from this," Marco said. "Let someone else fight this fight.

Sorry about the Andalite, but I've got enough death in my family."

"No," Jake said, surprising me. "The Andalite gave us the morphing power for a reason. It

wasn't just for the fun of being a dog or a horse or a bird. He hoped we would fight."

"Then maybe Tom is the enemy," Marco said. "Maybe it's your own brother you'll end up

destroying."

"Yes," Jake said. "Maybe that's what will happen. Maybe not. But the first step is to find out more. And I think maybe the way to do that is to check out this meeting of The Sharing. Tonight. I'll call the others. Anyone wants to come, cool. You want to stay out of it, Marco, that's cool, too."

He hesitated. He sent Tobias an angry look. But he said, "Okay, it's just a meeting, right? We

go and see. I'm in for that,"

Jake reached for the phone and called the girls. It seemed that Rachel agreed right away. Cassie took a while longer, but she agreed.

Then I realized something- Jake was going to have to call me next, as in Danny Fenton, if I agreed or not.

I quickly turned invisible and phased outside and made sure that the window was closed so they wouldn't be able to hear me when I answered Jake.

He's gonna catch 'em cuz' he's Danny Phantom He's gonna catch 'em cuz' he's Danny Phantom He's gonna catch- my cell phone rang. I hesitated- what was I going to say to him?

Just before the call went to voice mail, I answered.

"Hey, Danny," Jake greeted.

"Uh, hi Jake." I replied, looking in through the window. They were still in the same spots as they were before I left them, not even noticing that Danny Phantom was missing. "What's up?"

"Nothin' much. We were thinking of going to see what the Sharing is all about. Care to join?" He answered.

"OK, I'm coming. But one thing- I can't... you know." I told him. Might as well tell him now instead of later and end up having something happening- like being caught.

Jake covered the mouth piece and told Tobias and Marco this, even though Tobias already knew. He uncovered it wearing a confused expression. "What do you mean?"

"It..." I began, pretending to not know how to explain even though I thought about a way to explain. "I mean I can't do it. It doesn't work for me." I tried to sound upset.

Once again he covered the mouth piece. He was silent for a while. "What are we gonna do?" He asked the others. "He can't morph, it's like he never touched the cube, or like he never was there." He sighed then uncovered it once again. "Well, still, come anyway. Maybe if the Yeerks decide to capture us, and they only check if only one of us can morph and it happens to be you, then we'd be safe."

No, we wouldn't... I thought, since I did have morphing powers. "But, another thing, I'm not saying that I'll be there one hundred percent. You know with what happened to my family and Jazz... I might be able to come but maybe not for long. I can try to,"

"OK then. See ya," He replied as I hanged up.

I then phased into his room again and turned visible. They still barely noticed I was gone- if they did, I couldn't tell.

"All right. We're meeting up at the Sharing." Jake stated, looking at me. Even though I already knew, he just wanted to make sure that Phantom knew if he wanted to help.

Nodding, I then morphed into my strange version of the Northern Harrier and left.

I met up with Tobias later, at the time of the meeting. Actually, he more or less found me. I was in my Harrier morph (like I have any other morph now, and yes, I did demorph) and then he shouted my name at me through thought speak.

Tobias and I just flew around- him having a bit of trouble since there was barely any thermals, myself doing fine thanks to my powers- and watching the others, seeing if there was anything that made us think there was a Yeerk Pool nearby or any sign of Yeerks.

Then I saw my first sign of a Controller...

Tom.

I was looking at Tom, himself smiling at Jake. But then his face kind of twitched. His head started to pull to one side, like he was trying to shake his head only he couldn't quite do it. For just a split second there was a look in his eyes — scared or . . . or something. He was looking right at Jake, and it was like some different person, some scared person, was looking out of those same eyes.

Unlike what Jake had hoped was wrong, Tom was a Controller.

Tom left Jake and went off towards a different area of the beach.

((Jake wants us to come there,)) Tobias said a few minutes later as we saw Jake waving at us.

We gently descended to the top of the lifeguard stand where Jake and the others were standing below.

((What's up?)) I wondered.

"Full members are in a private meeting. You guys know where?" Jake replied as Marco explained to Cassie and Rachel who I was and why I would morph and why I was blue instead of brown.

((Of course. With these eyes I can see the mice scampering through the dune grass. Nice,

plump, tasty-looking things...))

((Tobias! Don't start eating like a hawk! Get a grip!)) I said, slightly grossed out at the thought.

"Back on topic. Where are the full members?" Jake inquired.

((About a hundred yards down the beach. There's a little bowl-like area formed by the dunes.

There are people posted all around, though, like guards.)) Tobias answered.

Jake nodded. "OK. Tobias, Danny, you guys have been in those bodies for over a hour. Don't you two think you should demorph?"

I tried to shrug. It didn't really matter as long as I didn't get stuck.

Tobias shook his head. ((No, I think I'll stay and watch a little longer.)) I guess he didn't like being a useless human.

"No Tobias. You've done enough. You should demorph." Jake stated.

My friend still hesitated. ((I hate changing back. It's like going back into a prison or something. I hate it when I don't have wings.))

"Tobias, you can always return to your hawk morph later," Rachel reassured him. "Now,

come on, all of you. Cassie and I can turn around so your modesty aren't offended."

((It's not really a problem,)) I told them.

((Danny- not Phantom- gave us some jumpsuits to use as our morphing suits until we can find something else.)) Tobias continued.

Rachel shrugged and waited.

I felt the feathers melting into my skin, like candle wax. My beak softened as my eyesight dulled. I floated down to the ground so I wouldn't fall down when I finished- at least then I was still morphed enough to fly.

As I demorphed, I watched Jake as he morphed his dog Homer. I then turned towards the girls who hadn't seen me morph before.

My white hair then fell down in front of my eyes. I grew taller and I felt my bones and organs change and rearrange.

Once I was fully Phantom again, Jake was just about done with his morph. Tobias was done already, putting on his outer normal clothes on top of the jumpsuit.

It was a while. I talked with the others a bit, then Cassie said she was going to wander around for a little bit.

When they finally came back and Jake finished morphing, he looked at us. "Marco, you were right about Tom being a Controller."

Marco didn't seem pleased.

Jake told us what Tom had said to Chapman about bringing him to the meeting to either use him or kill him.

"Wait a minute. Chapman is one of them, too?" Rachel asked. "Our Chapman? Mr. Chapman

the assistant principal?"

"I think he's some kind of a leader," Jake said. "It was him the other night at the construction site. He was the one who told the Hork-Bajir just to keep the head."

"That is so Chapman," Marco said.

"I suggest we get the heck out of here," Tobias said.

"No, it's okay," Jake said. "Chapman told Tom there was not to be any killing at a Sharing

meeting. They don't want any suspicious activities. He also said they couldn't just go around

killing every kid who might have been at the construction site. They needed to be sure."

"That's decent of them," Rachel said dryly.

"Not really. Chapman just said that for a while longer they still have to avoid attracting too

much attention. A bunch of kids start turning up dead and people will definitely notice. He

said they should just wait — kids can't keep quiet for long about seeing aliens. When the kids

talk, the Controllers will find them and get rid of them."

"Except that we aren't going to talk about what we saw," Rachel said.

"You got that right," Marco agreed. "We aren't saying anything. We are forgetting everything

we saw. We are getting on with our normal lives."

"And let all those people stay trapped in their own minds?" I countered. "What if they get someone close to us? A father, mother, sister, brother, best friend? The Andalite died so we could help his fight, not pretend it never happened." I knew Marco had his reasons, but still. Getting the power and not doing anything? We might as well have died with the Andalite.

"And how do you figure on saving them? All we can do is turn into a horse, birds and a dog.

All we can do is peck their eyes out, run over them and bite their legs until they beg for mercy." Marco stated. "It's like you're stuck in the stupidest and most impossible video game in history."

Jake sort of grinned. "Yeah, it is, kind of. But I'm pretty good at video games."

"And he won't be alone," Rachel said. "I'm in this, too."

"And me," Tobias said.

"Me, too," Cassie agreed.

"Count me in I guess." I replied.

"Great. The Fantastic Four and a dead guy. This isn't a comic book- this is reality."

We heard the sound of people coming through the dunes. The meeting of the full members

had broken up.

"Everyone, quiet," Jake said. "We'll let this ride . . . for now."

I could tell Jake said that to calm Marco down. He and I both had no intention of letting it ride.

I turned myself invisible for two reasons: I could be seen and I should be gone from earth, and if word gets out everyone from Amity may come over here to see me again; and that I wanted to wander around some more and see who were in the full members meeting.

We left later when the Sharing had ended, and I fell onto my bed when I got home, hoping Jazz never joins the Sharing.


	8. Yeerk Pool

I'm so sorry that i haven't been updating! I've had this and the next chapter done for a while, and i posted them on deviantArt, i guess it slipped my mind to log in here and post them. so yeah, today you will get this and chapter nine.

**RedHerring1412-** in order:

yeah, i'm working on that

i need to start rereading my story cuz i can't remember what his excuse was! but yeah, who knows how long it'll last...

i can see that...

he should.

there's gonna be some twist to that...

and thank you for your time and long reviews- makes my day seeing someone takes time to write more than a few words! ^^

**BugzAttack-** thanks for reviewing!

**the feral candy cane-** thanks for reviewing!

and to all the other reviewers on other chapters, thanks!

Enjoy the Yeerk Pool chapter! (i've long forgotten which chapters in the Ivasion it is)

CHAPTER EIGHT:

I swear I had found it on accident.

I was leaning against the wall outside of the janitor's closet. It was after school hours, and I was alone- as in, I was the only invisible ghost there. Chapman was there too, in his office. I was just waiting around, seeing if he would lead us to anything related to the Yeerks.

Even though Jake had been looking for a morph that could do this job with Cassie, I had told him that I'd try to help out during the evenings if Chapman stays after since I supposedly had no homework. So Jake and Cassie still hadn't gotten the lizard yet and I was there, floating, waiting for... well, Chapman I guess.

Then I accidentally phased through the ground. I'm not even sure how I started touching the ground- I mean, I was hovering, so when did I land? But either way, I was phasing through the ground. I had closed my eyes because I had them open for so long so when I opened them again, I saw cages.

"Nooooo!" Someone screamed.

It was a human. A girl, around six years old. She was being dragged to one of the two piers- the one where the people were crying and screaming before they leaned over and walked back calm, which was the opposite of the other one.

Then my eyes glanced over the pool.

Three words:

It. Was. Huge.

And here it was- the infestation site of the Yeerks, right under the school.

There were some Hork-Bajirs and humans stuck in rows of cages. They were either silent, crying, screaming, or just sadly sulking in the cages. There were some other Hork-Bajirs and humans standing in front of the cages but these were just standing, some talking with each others, or making sure they wouldn't get cut by the caged Hork-Bajirs.

In a different area of the underground hole, there were some humans eating and talking, as if they were in the control of the Yeerks, but then a few of them left that area and started walking to the second pier where they were being invested again.

I realized what they were- voluntary Controllers. They gave up their freedom by choice, not by force like those in the cages.

Another high pitched scream rang out in the Yeerk Pool.

Knowing I couldn't stand being in there much longer, I phased out of there.

-mall the next afternoon-

"People were screaming." Jake said. We were both saying what we had found there at the same time.

First off, yeah it is hard for Danny Phantom to be in public places. So I took some of Danny Fenton's clothes, put them on, took off the gloves, dyed my hair, and put on a hood so no one could tell and so it would be harder for them to realize that Fenton and Phantom were one and the same- minus Tobias, that is.

So we were there, eating nachos, talking about what we had seen and heard. We thought that no one would think we were talking about the fate of the world if they saw is talking there... Unless they heard what we were saying...

Everyone else except Marco was looking at us. Marco was turning away.

"You were a lizard. It might have been something else." Marco stated.

"But I wasn't. There was screams." I countered.

"I can't stand the thought of what's happening to people down there," Cassie said. She

shuddered. "It's sickening."

"We have to do something," Rachel said.

"Yeah, let's rush right down there," Marco said. "Then it can be us screaming."

Jake stopped eating. I hadn't been eating in the first place.

Just to think... screaming for our lives...

It was sickening.

"You can't ignore all of this," I muttered.

"Sure I can. I just have to think, 'Do I want to die?' And then I don't have to deal with it." Marco replied.

"So we're doing whatever's best for Marco? Is that it?" Rachel wondered.

"I don't think Marco is being selfish," Cassie said. "Just the opposite. He's thinking about his

father. About what would happen to his dad if Marco . . . "

"He's not the only one who's got people to worry about," Rachel said. "I have a family. We

all do."

"We don't." Tobias stated for the both of us. I sort of didn't, well, Phantom didn't, even if Fenton did. "Nearly no one cares for us."

"Not true. I care for you, Tobias, like you were my brother, and I have that Jazz Fenton." I said, seeing his sad smile.

"I do too." Rachel replied. She was looking at Tobias.

I think they were surprised. Me, I didn't really know Rachel enough to know if she was ever like that.

"Listen, I'm not forcing anyone to come with. I'm only going because I don't have a choice. And for Tom. He's going down there tonight. I'm not going to let him stay captured. I need to at least try to save him," Jake held out his hands, helplessly. "For Tom."

"I'm going. For the Andalite." Tobias replied.

"I'm scared to death to think about it. But we're the only ones who know about it and the only ones who can stop it. I'm in." Rachel said.

I thought about it for a while. "I'll go too. I already tried and nearly failed trying to save Amity Park. If I can't continue helping them, the least I could do is help you guys."

It looked like Marco was sick. He gave Jake a dirty look. He shook his head then. "Ya know, if Tom wasn't in this mess, I'd just walk away."

"Marco, you don't-" Jake began.

"Shut up, just shut up. You're my best friend, you jerk. Do you really think I'd let you face this by yourself? I'm in. But only to save Tom. Save Tom and that's it. Then I'm out." Marco interrupted.

Only Cassie had remained silent. She was looking dreamily off over the heads of the mall

crowd. "You know, back in the old days — I mean, the real, real old days — the Africans, the

early Europeans, the Native Americans . . . they all believed animals had spirits. And they

would call on those spirits to protect them from evil. They would ask the spirit of the fox for

his cunning. They'd ask the spirit of the eagle for his sight. They would ask the lion for his

strength."

"I guess what we're doing is sort of basic. Even though it was Andalite technology that made

it possible. We're still just scared little humans, trying to borrow the mind-of the fox, and the

eyes of the eagle . . . or the hawk," she added, smiling at Tobias. "And the strength of the

lion. Just like thousands of years ago, we're calling on the animals to help protect us from

evil."

"Will their strength be enough?" I wondered.

"I don't know," Cassie admitted solemnly. "It's like all the basic forces of planet Earth are

being brought into the battle."

Marco rolled his eyes. "Nice story, Cassie. But we're only five kids and a dead guy, against who knows how many Controllers? If this was a football game, we'd be toast."

"Don't be so sure," Cassie said. "We're fighting for Mother Earth. She has some tricks up her

sleeves."

"Good grief," Marco said. "Let's all buy Birkenstocks and go hug some trees,"

We all laughed, including Cassie.

"I think we need to get some more morphs though." Rachel stated after the laughter had ceased.

"She's right. So far, we have a dog, lizard, hawk, cat, horse and harrier. We can only bite them, peck them, and stomp on them at the most." I replied.

"The Gardens then?" Jake wondered.

I had no idea what the Gardens were then. "What's that?" I asked, though I knew it sounded stupid of me.

"It's like a zoo and amusement park in one. My mom works there," Cassie answered.

I nodded, saying I understood.

"We're going to have to get some more firepower, some that won't be that easy to get." Rachel told us.

"Do you think you can get us in?" Jake asked Cassie.

"I can get in for free, but as for the rest of you, I can only get you guys discounts." Cassie stated.

"Oh, I think we can get them to let us in for nothing." Marco told us, crossing his arms in front of him.

"Really?" Tobias wondered, all of us staring at him.

"Yeah. Just tell them we're the Animorphs."

"What?" Rachel replied.

"Idiot teenagers with a death wish." Marco answered.

"I'm already dead," I stated, saying that it wouldn't count for me.

"Well, idiot teenagers who are insane and hang out with a dead guy."

And now I'm stuck in it.

-The Gardens-

BAM!

"Try steering dude!" I yelled at Marco, sending a duplicate to see if the guy was far behind us. "He's getting closer and we can't go anywhere if we keep going into walls!"

"I'm going!" Marco replied, backing up and hitting the gas pedal again. It was enough to get us farther away from the guard, but looking back, we could still see him. "Which way?!"

"What?" I heard Jake answer, myself still looking back at the guard, still invisible.

"Which way?!"

I glanced back toward the way we were going. There was a T corner up ahead.

"Right!" Jake said.

However, Marco turned left. I had just landed on the back of the cart, and I almost fell on the ground face first.

We reached another T corner. Marco turned right this time, which made Jake fall out. He got up quickly and started running to catch up with us.

"What were you doing? You need to stop playing around, Jake," Marco said when he saw Jake.

Jake just rolled his eyes and climbed back in.

"I think we lost him." I stated, about to ask Jake if he was OK.

"I'm fine, thanks for slowing down to help me. Just a few bruises, maybe a cracked skull... Nothing serious," Jake muttered.

"Where are we?" Marco wondered.

"Probably the longest tunnel ever." I said, sitting down on the back of the cart. It seemed like it could go on forever.

"Do you think they caught the others?" Marco inquired.

"We should probably save this topic for later." Jake said as he saw two more guards up ahead. "Look!"

"Maybe they don't know that we're not guards." Marco replied.

"And maybe not. Just turn there!" I told him, just as the guards started yelling.

The corridor was getting too narrow for the cart to fit.

"Jump!" I yelled, forgetting I could have phased the cart- but if I had remembered, I would have exposed myself, and Phantom is supposed to be in the Ghost Zone or something.

I jumped first from the back, followed by Jake and Marco. We could hear the guards as they ran down the corridor.

The corridor ended with two doors, labeled P-201 and P-203. If one of us were Cassie, maybe we'd have known what was behind the doors...

Jake opened the first door. Fresh air and sun light hit the three of us. We blinked, trying to get our eyes to adjust.

The rhino blinked too.

"Close the door, close the door!" I yelled at Jake. He didn't even need me to tell him that- he slammed the door shut.

"Wrong door," Marco said.

"Definitely wrong," Jake agreed.

"Hey, kids!" A guard yelled.

"Door two!" Jake opened up the other door, and once the three of us were in, shut it.

"Where are we?" I wondered, once we were safe from the guards.

There were trees and grass. Sun light broke through the layers of leaves. It was like some sort of forest or woods.

"And how would we know?" Marco replied.

Looking around, we realized we couldn't see any animals other than a few birds.

"We're in a habitat," Jake stated. He pointed. "People,"

They were either high up or we were really down bellow. They were all looking at whatever was in with us.

"It better not be that rhino- that was too big." Marco muttered.

"How would we get out?" Jake wondered.

"I don't know, just stay away from the door that we came in. The guards could come in at anytime." I replied, then wondered why the guards hadn't came in yet.

We crawled around to a corner of a wall, hidden from all the people.

"That's wall's gotta be thirty feet tall. They must not want whatever's in here to escape," Marco stated.

"There's a ladder, that might be our only way out." Jake pointed to it, leaning on the wall.

"Why haven't the guards came yet?" Marco wondered. "I mean, if this was the deer exhibit, wouldn't they have came in?"

"We shouldn't panic, Marco." Jake said as he squatted down. "For all we know, there's nothing in here."

Marco and I turned to him, realizing we found what was in here. Marco's slightly tanned face had gone pale, and if I could, I would have gotten paler. Our eyes were wide in fear.

"Guys," Jake whispered slowly. "Is there something behind me?"

We nodded, even though I couldn't be seen still.

"What is it?"

"Um... Jake, it's a tiger." I told him.

It was a Siberian tiger, about ten feet long, maybe 700 pounds of speed and power.

You know on Tarzan where he's fighting some jungle animal, a jaguar or something? And then he wins and carries it or something like that? The truth is, the chance of someone actually fighting a tiger and winning is like jumping off a plane without a parachute and living.

"Here's an idea," Marco suggested, shakily. "Let's get the hell out of here."

"Don't run. That could get his attention," Jake said.

"I think he already did." Marco stated. "I think he knows we're here, Jake. He's looking right at us! Just look at those teeth!"

"Don't freak out either!" Jake told him. "I have an idea. Morphing. If I acquire him, it'll put him in a trance."

"And if you guys haven't gotten out yet, I'll acquire him too." I replied.

"Are you sure? That guy might acquire you guys! He'll acquire your butt, your hand, whatever, for dinner! He'll acquire you and spit out your bones."

"Not helping, Marco." Jake muttered, swallowing, trying to touch the tiger, but his hand was shaking too much. He tried taking a few deep breaths, but that might only work if you weren't on a tiger. Then there's nothing that can calm you down. "Nice tiger,"

The tiger just watched us. His expression seemed to say "who cares?" A look of total, complete, absolute confidence. I think he might have thought Jake was funny, or he enjoyed watching us shake with fear.

"Please don't kill me," Jake said.

"Don't kill me either." Marco added.

I would have said that too, but I'm Phantom and he's supposed to be completely dead. So what could I say?

Jake reached his shaking hand toward the tiger, the tiger's eyes following his hand as he touched his flank.

"Concentrate." I said, but I knew at least Jake and I were already- on the long fangs, his muscles under his pelt, and that the tiger could easily send Jake's head across the grass like a soccer ball.

Then the tiger seemed to relax as Jake acquired its DNA.

"Does the trance last long?" Marco wondered.

"About ten seconds after you break apart. That was around how long when Tobias and I acquired our birds." I stated.

"Ten seconds? Ten seconds?!"

"Yeah, get ready to run." Jake told him.

"I've been ready!"

A bit after Jake was about to pull away, he said, "He's beautiful, isn't he?"

"Yes. He's magnificent... but let's get out of here before he shows us why he's the king of the jungle," Marco answered.

"That's not tigers, that's lions." Jake stated. "But let's not tell him that. Ready?"

Marco nodded.

"Danny, you sure that you want to stay behind to acquire him if we don't escape yet?" Jake wondered, I could sense his concern.

"Hey, I'm dead, I can turn intangible if he tries to bite me." I answered, not realizing that I could have just grabbed them and flew all of us out of there.

"OK... Now!" Jake yelled. He jumped and they tore for the ladder. I stood ready to acquire the tiger if they didn't make it.

Then something moved... Another tiger!

I heard the spectators screaming from above as they saw them run and being chased by the tiger. I sent a duplicate to overshadow it, just as Marco and Jake scrambled up the ladder. But the tiger roared, making my duplicate disappear, and now I had to worry about the first tiger, the one that I was standing next to. He was out of his trance, tense, trying to figure out where I was, smelling me.

Finally, he found me.

Not knowing what else to do, I quickly dashed to grab his fur. I concentrated on him, acquiring his DNA, hearing a guard yell as he saw Marco and Jake, but not letting my mind wander.

As I let go, I flew out of there, turning visible and into Fenton behind a dolphin tank, panting.

"What did you do, morph into a midget?" It was Rachel. They had found the others.

"The guards were after us," Jake said.

I had walked around to the front of the tank just as Rachel was telling Jake to stop fooling.

"Hey guys," I muttered, my heart still racing. "How'd it go?"

"How'd what go?" Cassie asked me.

Oh right. I was Fenton and he wasn't with them.

"You know, acquiring DNA." I answered in a hushed tone.

"Jake and I just had a run in with the tigers after being chased by guards, while those three were home free." Marco stated.

I looked at the others to see if they'd believe them. I did, of course, since I was there as Phantom. But they didn't. I just told Marco and Jake I did as we got on the bus, but only because they were still shaking a bit.

"We could have died," Marco muttered, pouting. "Seriously. He was just a few inches away from biting us!"

Rachel rolled her eyes. "Whatever."

Tobias turned to me. "Really, was it?" He whispered.

I nodded slightly. "We got chased into it by the guards. That's the only thing Jake and I got to acquire- the tiger that could have killed us."

Rachel was laughing when I finished telling Tobias. "We may not even have to worry about tomorrow."

"Thanks, Little Miss Cheerful." Marco said under his breath.

-home-

When I got home, Jazz had already gone to sleep. Her door was slightly open, and when I peeked in, I saw her figure rising as she breathed.

I walked back down the steps, and something caught my eye.

There was a paper on the living room table. I picked it up, even though the feeling in my gut told me I already knew what it was- a flier. For the Sharing.

I wanted to scream. Jazz was going to join the Sharing- maybe she did already! My own sister, a Controller! And she wouldn't believe me if I told her not to join. She'd just say that Yeerks or whatever excuse I make up was just part of a bad dream I had.

My mind blurred, I ran out the door, transformed and flew out into the night sky.

-later-

G- I didn't even let the word finish. I grabbed my cell phone out of my pocket and opened it, not caring who it was. "Hello?" I muttered.

"Phantom?" It was Jake.

"Yeah?"

"You remember the plan?"

"Uh, yeah. We're meeting at the school, right?"

"Yeah. And if you see Cassie, tell her that we're at the school. She wasn't at home,"

"OK. See you later dude." I hung up.

As I neared the school, I saw a hawk circling overhead. It was too late for a normal hawk to be out, so I put two and two together and figured it was Tobias.

"Hey, Tobias!" I yelled at him.

((Huh? Oh, Danny. What's up?)) Tobias replied after a confused moment.

"You mean other than us?" I answered as I got closer. "You wouldn't have heard from Cassie, have you?"

((No, not since earlier. Why?))

"Jake said she's not at her house."

((She could be inside already,)) Tobias suggested.

"Maybe. I'm going down," I stated.

((OK, see you in a bit.))

I landed just as Jake arrived.

"Did you find her?" Jake asked me. I just shook my head. "Where's Tobias."

"He's up there. I just talked to him," I stated.

"What the heck is wrong with him?!" Jake snapped. "He only has two hours in morph, and we don't know how long we're going to be in there!"

"Maybe we should bail. We need to find out if Cassie's all right." Rachel suggested.

"Maybe she's scared. I know I am." Marco replied.

"Maybe," Jake agreed.

Tobias then swooped down and perched on Rachel's shoulder. I had to bite the insides of my mouth to stop myself from snickering. She had rubbed her head against him.

((Are we doing this?)) Tobias wondered.

The mission wasn't starting off right. Cassie was missing. Tobias might not even know how long he had been in morph...

We all looked at Jake. "We're doing it." He finally answered.

The school was locked up since it was night. But Marco said that there was a window in the science lab that didn't lock. Sure, I could have just phased all of us through, but I had forgotten that I wasn't Fenton.

We all crawled into the science lab through the window. It was dark, save the bit of sun light that were reflected off the beakers and test tubes. Tobias flew through and landed on the teacher's desk, careful not to disturb anything to give us away.

"I'm gonna take a look." Jake told us as he peeked through the door. He instantly pulled back in. "There's three people heading into the closet."

"Controllers. Must be their dinnertime." Rachel stated. No one laughed.

"How do we get in without being found?" Marco inquired.

"Hey, do all Controllers know each other by sight? For all they know, we could be Controllers." I stated.

"So we just walk right on in like we belong?" Marco replied. "Great plan, Phantom. I have a better idea- let's just kill ourselves now and get it over with."

"You'd still be able to morph." I stated.

"I think Phantom's right," Jake said. "Maybe they don't know every Controller,"

"Big maybe, a big huge maybe." Marco pointed out. "What about Tom? He'd know if you were a Controller."

Jake peeked outside again. "I think he's already there. He left home a while ago. Besides, it's empty now. I guess they all... Wait, someone's coming."

"I'll check," I said as I phased outside of the classroom, invisible. It was still hard to tell. I could see two people, one in a uniform.

It was a policeman. He was yanking someone along. It was a girl.

Even though I was pretty sure I knew who it was, I went in closer, floating backwards in front of her. She gave a small shiver as the temperature dropped around me.

It was her.

I quickly phased back into the room. "They have her. The Controllers have Cassie."

"Who has Cassie now?" Rachel stammered.

"A policeman."

Rachel let out some words that I wouldn't mention.

We barely started and everything was a disaster.

"OK," Jake said. "We go ahead, like Phantom said. There's no way all Controllers know each other. I mean, they add new people all the time. We could be new Controllers,"

"Oh, man..." Marco moaned.

"What? You have a better idea?" Jake snapped.

Marco shook his head. "I think we go ahead. Take our chances. Let's rock and roll,"

"Okay, everyone act cool." Jake looked at Tobias. "Too late for you to morph back now. Just don't let them see you."

((One more problem guys.))

Jake sighed. "What?"

((Phantom.))

"What about me?" I almost forgot that I was in ghost mode again. "Oh... right... I'll be invisible, don't worry." I turned invisible as I said that.

We stepped out into the hallway. Jake seemed like he was trying to be Frankenstein.

We headed towards the janitor's closet. Luckily, we were alone.

We entered the room and stepped inside. Jake turned the faucet to the left, then twisted the second hook around right.

The door swung open.

It seemed louder than when I had first fallen in by mistake. But that was probably just my imagination.

There was only one nice sound- a sloshing and swooshing sound, like a gentle surf breaking on the shore. The rest will haunt me- despairing cries, terrified screams, shouts, and shrieking triumphant laughter.

"You sure this is just the pool?" Marco wondered, his voice trembling. "I see a guy with horns and a pitchfork and I am outta here."

We stepped into the opening. The stairs were steep, and lacking a rail, so you felt like you could pitch forward with every step. We went down together. The door closed as soon as the last one of us went through.

"Superior aliens? Yeah right. You'd think they'd put in an elevator or something." Marco muttered. A few nervous laughs was his reply.

It seemed larger too, now that I was on the ground. When I looked up, I saw a very faint outline of a hole, and thought I could see the stars. I looked straight ahead again, trying to see the other side of the cavern, seeing other stairways as well.

"This is beyond gigantic." Marco said. "This must be under half the town!" He shook his head. "Jake, they must have entrances in every other building! This is worse... this is so much worse... so much bigger..."

I'm sure that we all felt that same despair. We were fools. Even though I had seen it before, I had figured it just seemed huge since I was up. But they had to have enough power to make this huge underground city, power I couldn't imagine.

There were buildings and sheds all around the rim, and we could see yellow Caterpillar earth movers and cranes at work on the far side. They seemed to fit in perfectly in this place.

And there were the aliens everywhere. Taxxons, Horks, and others that I couldn't even think of.

But the most I saw? Humans. And a lot of them.

At the center, there was the pool, almost like a small lake, a circle maybe one hundred feet in diameter. But the water moved like melted lead, and almost of that same color. The sloshing we had heard was the liquid of the pool being splashed by the hundreds- thousands- of fast moving things below the surface.

I think we all knew what they were. Yeerks. Yeerks that were out of their hosts, swimming and cavorting in the pool like kids would on a hot day.

And near the end of the pool were cages. Cages filled with Horks and humans.

Some of the humans were screaming for help. Others were crying. More just sat, knowing that there was no hope. There were adults and kids. Women and men. Over a hundred, packed ten to each cage.

The Horks in the cages were separate from humans and other of their kin alike. They were pacing, howling, and slashing at the air with their blades.

I almost lost all my hope. Even though as a ghost, I don't even know if my heart beats or if I have one, I was certain that it had stopped. This... this was a place of horror, maybe the only thing that could beat Dan on a horror level. We were only five teens and a half ghost. Weak, few, I was certain there was no way we could win.

I guess Jake had seen Cassie because next thing I knew, he was saying he was going to morph.

"Not time yet, dude. Keep your cool," I heard Marco say.

((Cassie's all right.)) Tobias stated. ((She's just scared.))

"He'd better not hurt her," Jake muttered. "Keep an eye on them, Tobias."

I saw the two piers that I had saw the first time. We saw a Yeerk drop out of a person's ear.

"Oh, no..." Rachel moaned, as if she was going to be sick. "Oh, no. No..."

The Yeerk finally dropped and disappeared beneath the surface of the water.

"You filth, let me go! Let me go! I am a free woman! You can't keep doing this! I am not a slave! Let me go!" The woman cried out.

Two Horks grabbed her. They dragged her to the nearest cage and threw her in.

"Help! Someone help us all!" The woman screamed.

We heard more cries like that all the way down. But now we were close enough to see the owners of those cries. It ached my soul. To know that soon Jazz will be down here too...

We saw the other pier, the loading one also. But then we saw another area that I hadn't seen on my earlier visit.

There were humans and Horks, sitting on comfortable chairs, drinking, and watching TV. Taxxons squirmed around like maggots.

I could hear laughter from the humans. They were watching and laughing.

((Voluntary hosts,)) Tobias told us. ((Collaborators.))

"What are you talking about?" Jake demanded.

((You remember, what the Andalite told us. Many humans and Horks are voluntary. The Yeerks persuade them into letting them take over,)) Tobias replied.

"I can't believe that. No person would let that happen. No one would ever give up control of himself," Rachel said in disgust.

"Some people are scum, Rachel, sorry to burst your balloon." Marco answered.

((The Yeerks convince them that taking a Yeerk will solve all of their problems. I think that's what the Sharing is about. People believe that by becoming something different, they can leave behind all their pain.))

"Like spending all their time as a hawk," Marco pointed out.

Tobias didn't say anything but he did fly away.

"Tobias! Come back!" Jake yelled.

"We have to move." Rachel stated. "We've been still too long." She turned to Marco. "Don't be a jerk to Tobias, OK? We need everyone."

Tobias came back to us. ((Cassie... She's on the infestation pier. They're gonna make her a Controller.))

With our human eyes, we could barely make out the cop and Cassie's figure.

"Do you see Tom?" Jake asked.

Tobias in return gained more altitude. He then came back in a dive.

((I see him.)) Tobias answered.

Jake was silent for a while, unsure. "Is he...?"

((In a cage. He's yelling his brains out at the guards,)) Tobias stated.

"Yes!" Jake exclaimed.

I wanted to ask Tobias if he saw Jazz, even though I knew she was at home, she could have sneaked out like the others did. But I was afraid of the answer, afraid to know if she was one all along, afraid to find out if she was voluntary... and afraid to show that I cared for a human, afraid to slip my secret.

((Cassie is near the end of the pier,)) Tobias warned us. ((If we wait any longer, she'll be infested!))

We reached the bottom of the steps. It was time for us to meet what could be our deaths.

We had ran over to hide behind a storage shed or something like that. Marco had pulled Jake around the corner to whisper to him something.

I heard some yelling. I saw that Rachel was getting bigger... no, I'm just imagining things... No, she's really getting larger!

A few minutes later, where Rachel had stood was a very tall, very heavy elephant.

I'm just glad I wasn't on her bad side right now.

((Puny little nothing!)) Rachel was yelling at a Hork. ((You, attack ME?!))

Then, the Hork was squished under Rachel's giant foot. She then stepped on the back of a Taxxon. Yellow goo came from the squashed flesh, probably its blood.

"An elephant?" The man that had yelled at Jake and Marco stammered.

Rachel grabbed him with her trunk around his middle. ((Yeah, an elephant.))

The man screamed as he realized it was real. He was then thrown off somewhere.

"Morph!" I heard Jake yell.

As I started morphing into the same tiger as Jake was, I heard Marco making a comment on how to remind him never to make Rachel mad.

((More Hork-Bajir coming!)) Rachel warned us as we morphed.

I was morphing faster than before. As soon as Jake had started to morph, I was almost done. My gloves were ripped as giant claws grew, the same happening to my boots.

I... was a tiger. And no little alien could stop me. Not even if I was just a normal tiger. But I wasn't a normal person or anything. I was a ghost. I could still access my ghostly energy in morph, making me nearly unstoppable.

Somehow managing to stand on my hind legs, like a human, Jake and I released an echoing roar, which sounded maybe five times as loud as it would have if it was a normal tiger in the jungle.

Dropping to the ground in front of some Horks, I dropped my invisibility, surprising them. I charged my giant claws with green ghost rays, and attacked.

It was a blur. I couldn't remember much. All I knew was that the people probably thought that they were seeing inverted doubles since Jake and I were both the same tiger, though every part of him that was orange, I was blue, and where he was black and white, I was white and black. Or maybe they thought they were seeing the ghost of a tiger.

I heard Jake say that to go before they reassembled to free the non-voluntary hosts.

When I got there, the people and Horks were backing up against the wall. They were probably afraid of us as much as the Controllers- I mean, think about it. An elephant, gorilla, a tiger, and another tiger that was standing on its hind legs giving off ghostly energy? If I was them, I'd be wetting my pants or something.

Marco started ripping at the locks, which gave way. The door flew open. He did the first thing that he could think of to reassure the humans- bow and crook his finger at them like saying to come on out.

Tom was first out. I was sure that Jake was going to tell him who he was, before Rachel started screaming at us.

((Look! Cassie!)) Rachel yelled.

((Cassie's next!)) Jake stated.

((Don't worry, Jake. We'll take care of Tom and the other humans. Just go before they infest her!)) Marco told him.

I don't know what Jake or Tobias had done, but before I knew it, there was Cassie yelling for the people behind her in the line to run. And then Cassie had morphed into her horse, racing for the stairs.

Knowing we still had to free as many people as possible, we started removing locks as fast as possible in the little time we had. We each were working on our second or third cage when a sudden flash of red caught my eye...

Oh god, Jazz!

I ripped off the lock I was working on, then turned towards where I had seen the red hair, phasing through people and Controllers who got in my way, not wanting to accidentally hurt a free person.

Another flash of the long red hair and familiar black shirt and teal pants. I was getting closer.

Disguising my voice somehow, I yelled, ((Jazz!)) I ran/flew faster than ever.

She turned, confused at who was yelling her name in the midst of this chaos.

And then I heard the phrase I wished I'd never hear from her.

"Andalite Bandit."

I stopped in my tracks, a blue, black and white tiger standing on its back legs floating inches above the ground.

My sister was already a Controller...

She was my enemy.

I almost couldn't take it. I almost wanted to abandon my friends and go home, back to Amity Park, away from this.

But I knew I couldn't leave. They could need my help here. The Animorphs were only six right now, and if I left it'd be harder for them. And there might still be Yeerks in Amity... oh god, what if Sam and Tucker were Controllers? Then the only people I could trust would be the other five... Man, how'd I get into this mess? Oh right... Calima and Lilla.

Then Visser Three appeared.

He didn't look scary, not as scary as Pariah.

But the Visser had an Andalite body. He could morph. And he had been around the entire galaxy, getting all sorts of alien DNA.

A Taxxon near the Visser said something in its strange tongue. The Visser laughed and turned to us.

((This Taxxon fool says you are wild animals. He wants to know if he and his brothers can eat you,)) Visser Three laughed silently. ((But I know you are not animals. I know who and what you are. So... Not all you Andalites died when I burned your ship.))

After a while, I guess it hit me that Visser thought that we were Andalites. He had known we were morphs, not real animals. And he knew that only Andalites so far and been known to morph.

((I compliment you on getting this far. But it will accomplish nothing. Because now, my brave Andalite warriors, it is time.)) The Visser paused. ((Time to die.)) He had started to morph. ((I acquired this body on the fourth moon of the second planet of a dying star. Like it?))

I realized that I just didn't care anymore. I didn't care that I could die completely. I didn't care that I might never see my family, my FREE family, again.

All I wanted was to fight.

All I wanted was for me to feel again.

And if the Yeerks were dead, maybe I could again.


	9. chapter9

here's your next chapter! (sing songy) here comes -!! and i'm working on 10 already, it's started, don't know how much longer though until i post it...

CHAPTER NINE:

I vaguely heard Jake telling us to run for it, and some other words but it's all a blur to me.

My vision would have been blurred with tears if I could have cried, but somehow it was still. It was like I was on auto-pilot. I didn't know what had gotten over me. All I knew was that I seemed to be on fire- more like my fur WAS fire...

But suddenly... my world went black...

-pov?-

Finally... Free again...

But what had made Danny tick this time?

Ah... the Yeerks, the Controllers, Jazz being one...

And we were in the Yeerk Pool.

I know exactly what to do here...

((Danny, watch out! The pool!)) Someone warned me.

((I know fool!)) I growled at him. I floated right above the pool, hands- claws rather- charged with a neon blue energy.

((Dude, what are you doing?!)) Another yelled at me.

((Shut up! I know what I'm doing fool!)) I snapped. I placed my hands right on the surface of the Yeerk filled water, letting the energy flow all over it.

((Phantom, come on! Jake wants us to leave!)) A female told me.

((Just all of you, shut up! I know what I'm doing!)) I shouted to all of them. I concentrated on letting the energy escape my body through my hands, willing it to spread all over the pool, making the entire pool turn into ice.

I felt some heat flash by my head, but it didn't matter to me. My fur in this morph had already turned to fire. I was used to it.

((Danny, you're on fire!)) The first voice stated.

((I told you to SHUT UP FOOL!)) I yelled again. What were they, deaf?

Finally the pool was entirely frozen, each Yeerk stuck in their positions, unable to escape.

((Phantom, what are you doing back there?! We need to get out!)) A new male voice ordered.

((HOW MANY F-ING TIMES DO I HAVE TO TELL YOU PEOPLE TO SHUT UP?!)) I snapped. I then sent a large ectoblast at the pool, making it shatter, destroying those Yeerks. ((OK, now we can go.))

((Not really... we still have to escape the Visser, who, if you still haven't noticed, morphed and is throwing fire balls into the air.)) The first voice stated.

((So that was what that heat wave was...)) I muttered. I finally realized that this was the boy Tobias, Danny's friend. ((Where's Jazz and Tom?))

((Tom? I don't know- wait, he's near the stairs, fighting some Taxxons. As for Jazz... isn't she at your house?)) Tobias wondered.

I shook my head, looking for where Tom was. ((No, I saw her earlier...)) I started to lose my vision. ((She's- she's a Controller-))

I blacked out.

-pov Danny-

((Ugh... What the heck happened?)) I muttered, until I saw that the Yeerk pool was basically in shreds. I blinked. ((Did I do that?))

((OK, something is going on with you, Danny. You were just snapping at us when we spoke to you a few seconds ago, and now you don't even know what you did?)) Tobias wondered.

((Look, sorry guys about a few seconds ago. I don't know what got over me,)) I said to everyone. Then to Tobias, ((No, I don't, I just know I blacked out. What did I do?))

Tobias was silent for a moment, gathering the facts or something. ((Well, you caught on- no, your fur turned to fire, then you started freezing the pool, then you broke it...))

He wasn't telling me something. ((Tobias, what is it?))

My best friend sighed. ((You had asked me if I knew where Jazz and Tom were, then when I said I thought that Jazz was at your home, you said that Jazz was a Controller.)) He was silent for a while. ((Is it true?))

I didn't answer. I didn't want to black out again, so I kept calm. But there seemed to be some sort of heat or a light of some sort on my forehead. It seemed to be a light blue...

((Danny, you're not a blue tiger any more... You look exactly like Jake except the fact that you're on two legs.))

((Wait... what? I thought I was always supposed to be invert colored when morphed!)) I exclaimed.

((I thought so too...)) Tobias paused. ((Danny, what if when you demorph you're Fenton?))

((Well, I guess I'll have to risk that...)) I muttered.

I heard the Visser roar in pain, and I sort of heard another roar, Jake. ((Time to go!)) I stated as I phased through the Controllers and people, running up with the others, running away from the nightmare.

((I'll kill you all, Andalites. Run away, it doesn't matter! I'll kill you!))

We had ran like hell to get out of there, morphing as we ran. I flew directly home once I was demorphed (I had started demorphing as Fenton, so I had to change back to Phantom while morphing.)

Phasing through into my room, I turned back into Fenton and fell into sleep, the Visser's voice echoing in my head.

-later, near morning-

I woke up to the sound of wings hitting my window. I blinked several times before getting up and opening it. "What happened to you dude?" I wondered, realizing it was Tobias. "The others and I were worried about you, we thought you didn't get out."

((How are the others?)) Tobias wondered, ignoring my question.

"They're alive as far as last night," I answered. "That's all that matters."

((Yeah, all that matters.))

"Come on, morph back. You can have the bed, I'll sleep on the floor." I stated, though I knew what had happened to him since he came in. When he remained silent, I tried again. "Tobias, morph back."

((Danny...)) Tobias started. ((I hid in the cavern for a while. I wasn't found... but I had to stay out of sight until I could escape... It took too long... More than two hours.))

I stared at him, realizing that it really had happened. I stared at his laser-focus eyes, at his curved beak and sharp talons. And at the wings that let him fly.

((I guess this is me.)) Tobias said.

I felt some tears falling down my cheeks as I tried to memorize how Tobias looked as a human, since I wouldn't see his human face for who knows how long.

((I'm OK with this, Danny. I am still alive, after all,)) Tobias stated.

A very small smile appeared on my face, smiling at the weak joke. I stared out the window, looking at those stars, knowing one was the Andalite home world. Somewhere out there. And somewhere up there was... hope.

Hope for freedom. Hope to be human. Hope to see their family again. Hope... hope to live.

((They'll come. The Andalites will come. And until then...))

I nodded, drying my face. "Yeah. We fight."

-the next day-

Tobias was flying above me as I headed for school. I was still human, and I was going to tell Jake that I managed to morph finally, but I wasn't sure how to say that I might not make all of the missions or meetings. I couldn't keep a duplicate up for very long, more or less for a mission.

((Maybe you should just tell them.)) Tobias suggested.

((And then what? What if they don't believe me?)) Oh, Tobias and I also found out that I could use thought speak out of morph. Must be another side effect or reaction to my ghost DNA.

((I don't know, show them?))

I sighed. ((Then have Marco slip that he's friends with Danny Phantom?))

((Well, he is.)) Tobias stated.

((What- oh, right.)) Since Phantom was in the Animorphs, he was technically friends with everyone. ((Well, I don't think I should tell everyone just yet.))

Tobias was silent for a while. ((And if you can't morph and the only way out is to expose the fact that you're Phantom to the others?))

((I...)) ...was speechless. ((Well, then I'll expose myself then.))

((How about just telling Jake? At least then he wouldn't blame either one of you for missing too many missions,)) Tobias stated.

((Fine, I'll tell Jake.)) I muttered.

((Good.)) Tobias said. (('Cause here he comes now.))

((W-)) I began before I ran into someone.

Rubbing my head, I saw that it was Jake, like Tobias had told me. "Sorry man," I muttered, both of us gathering the lose papers and items we were carrying in our hands instead of our bags.

Jake just nodded, picking up his things silently. He looked tired, bags under his eyes. I'm sure he hadn't had much sleep last night. Maybe he had nightmares of what had happened. Or maybe it was just because we hadn't saved Tom.

We both got up. I thought of how to break it to him. How to say that I understood what he felt, and how I was there last night as Phantom.

"Listen, Jake, I have to tell you something. Something... something private," I told him.

He raised an eyebrow. Jake knew that we weren't that close... So then he'd why'd I've decided to tell him what I was going to say.

I sighed. "I..." I glanced around, and decided that there we were too close to the school, too many people who could overhear. ((Jake... My sister Jazz... She's one of them...))

My friend glanced around for a while, wondering if he really heard me. He then turned back to me. "Was... that... you?"

I nodded. ((I figured how to morph last night. And somehow, I managed to use thought speech out of morph...)) I paused. ((I was there last night... and I saw Jazz.)) I let my head hang down low, trying not to cry. ((I called out to her... and I heard her call me Andalite Bandit...)) I looked at Jake, with worried eyes. "Jake, what if she nows? What if she knew that it was me?" I whispered.

Jake placed his hand on my shoulder. "Listen, man, I know it's hard. I was close to saving Tom too. But he had stayed to try to fight the Taxxons... I couldn't call out to him unlike you did. But to know that he was so close to freedom again, only to be captured once more..."

I nodded, understanding what he felt. "Jake, I have to tell you something else..."

"What is it man?" Jake wondered, confused at how there could be even more.

((I'm Danny Phantom.)) I told him.

(A/N: We'll be back right after these messages!)

He blinked. "Wait, what? I don't think I heard you right. I thought you said you were Phantom." He had said the last part in a hushed tone, of course.

"I am. Jake, could this be any harder to believe that there are aliens among us?" I replied.

"If you were really dead, then I would, but come on! No one can be half dead. The only way is if you were really dead and you wear dye, contacts and remove and replace the suit with normal clothes," Jake stated.

"Remember I told you that ghosts were common where I came from? Well, the only reason is because a couple of years ago, my parents build this machine, a Ghost Portal, and when I went into it to see the inside, I turned it on, giving me ghost DNA. Then I became half ghost and half human, Phantom and Fenton. I'm telling you the truth, man." I answered. "You know what, if you don't believe me, fine. I'm going." I turned around, back the way I had came.

"Where are you going?" Jake demanded.

"Home!" I yelled over my shoulder. "Back to Amity!"

-an hour later-

I was still heading towards Amity, morphed in my Harrier as Phantom, not wanting to be disturbed, not wanting to talk to anyone but people I trusted...

I laughed.

Who was that now? Sam and Tucker could be one of them too. So that was basically just Tobias.

Tobias... my first friend, long before I met Sam or Tucker. But if I went to talk to him, he would know exactly what happened, he would know about Jazz...

What I needed was someone who most likely didn't know anything about the invasion.

But then again... Yes.

I needed to find out if they were Controllers.

Then I can trust them.

The faint glow turned red.

Blackness.

-pov?-

The boy thought he had no hope? Was that why I was unleashed? Only because he felt almost hopeless?

I let myself go a little bit, so that Danny and I would still be aware of what was happening and each other.

((Who are you?)) Danny wondered.

((That can wait.)) I stated. ((But you're not alone. Even if Sam and Tucker aren't around, I am.))

((I don't even know who you are! Why should I trust you?))

((Ah, but that is where you are wrong.)) I said. ((True, have no reason to trust me, but you do know who I am.))

There was a silent moment as the boy thought. Then, in a scared voice, ((D-Dan?))

-pov-Danny-

Dan... was in me? How long had he been within me, able to take over my body?

((I've been here since you were fated to enter the ghost portal, boy.)) Dan stated. ((Only when you had met the Andalite was I able to take over, but only when you were angered or out of hope, such as now.))

((Were you the reason why I couldn't remember blasting up the Yeerk Pool?)) I wondered.

((Yes, I was the one who did that.)) Dan answered. ((Now, I will leave. But remember, this is not the final time I will take over you.))

I felt him disappear, leaving me alone.

I really need help now.

-one more hour later-

There. Fenton Works... well, the old Fenton Works anyway.

Landing on the roof, still as a Harrier, I looked at my old home.

A red blur zoomed by. Valerie. I now noticed the ghost she was following... a centaur?

No... it was an Andalite.... Lilla! What was she doing here?

((Has thee had enough?)) Lilla wondered, eyes narrowing as she turned invisible. ((I could go on for years, Valerie.))

Valerie was looking around for Lilla, wondering where she could have gotten on to until something started beeping. "I'm gonna get in trouble for sure," She muttered and headed for Casper High.

((How are thee?)) Lilla asked.

I flapped my wings in surprise. I turned and found her behind me. ((I'm all right, though I could have gone without you sneaking up on me.))

Lilla smiled with her eyes. ((Forgive me. But I sense that you are not truly "all right".))

((If you can tell that, then you should know what's wrong already.))

((I do. And I will not force you to leave your home once again.)) And with that, Lilla left.

Sitting on the old roof for a while longer, I stared out, eyes watching over my town, just like before, except with Harrier eyes instead of ghost ones.

I demorphed and phased into my room.

It was still bare and empty, just like how it was when I had left it...

"I don't remember this," I said as I saw a potted rose by the door. I was wary, hoping it wasn't a Blood Blossom. But I still neared, to find it was just a plain and ordinary rose.

Picking it up, I saw three very small figurines at the base of the rose and another hanging off of the bud of the rose. Studying them, I saw that the one that was hanging was me- or rather, Phantom was. At the base, Sam, Tucker and Fenton stood, arms hooked, smiles plastered on their faces.

I pocketed the figures. They might be the last thing I'll have from here, who knows if I'll ever be able to come back...

It was time for lunch at Casper High. Maybe I should check in on Sam and Tucker...

"Going ghost!" I said, letting the rings transform me to the famous ghostly hero, Danny Phantom. I figured I'd let Amity Park see their hero this one time- like I said, I didn't know when or if I'd ever come back...

Flying out to Casper High, I heard several gasps and shouts of "There's Inviso-Bill!" I just waved to those down below, hoping Valerie wasn't out to hunt me...

"Danny?" I heard someone say.

It obviously wasn't Valerie, so I turned around...

And boy was I wrong.

There, staring at me, WAS Valerie.

"Valerie?" I replied, trying to act normal, wondering why she called me Danny instead of Ghost or Phantom.

"What are you doing back here?" She wondered. "I thought you left for good."

"Uh... I needed a vacation so I came back here?" I answered, not completely sure.

Valerie raised an eyebrow. "You do know that I could blast you at anytime if you were lying, Danny?"

"Yeah... I just hope you don't..." I said simply.

The huntress sighed. "Why didn't you ever tell me, Danny?"

"Tell you what?" I asked, playing dumb. Did she really know?

She rolled her eyes. "Don't play dumb with me." She sighed again. "Why didn't you tell me that you, Danny Fenton, was Danny Phantom?"

Bull... She did know... Tucker probably blurted it out...

I sighed. "Because..." She stared at me, waiting. "Well... I don't know..."

There would have been a large tear drop on her face if we were in one of those anime shows.

"Who told you?" I inquired, though I was pretty sure that it was Tucker.

"Tucker." She stated. "Just stopping by for lunch?"

I nodded. "Most likely. I don't know. Just couldn't stand being away, I had to come back for even a while."

A small smile appeared on Valerie's face. "OK then, race you there!" She zoomed off towards the school.

"Hey!" I laughed as I followed her.

-at the school-

"Danny?!" I was welcomed by Sam hugging me- more like choking.

"Easy, I can't breathe!" I half joked as she let go.

"Sorry," Sam blushed. "What brought you back here?"

I shrugged again, not sure. "What, I can't have lunch with my friends?"

"Still, dude, all the way from -blank-?" Tucker stated.

"Yeah, so?" I replied, sitting down in my usual spot next to Tucker and across from Sam. Valerie had been dragged off somewhere by someone- maybe a ghost fight- earlier so it was just the three of us.

Sam just shrugged. "How long are you staying?"

"I don't know, three days at the most. I need a break, I need to be back here in Amity for a while." I answered.

"Are you sure that you're Danny?" Sam wondered, raising an eyebrow.

"What do you mean?" I asked in return. "You know I am." I should probably see their reactions later... I mean, I'll never be able to see if they say Andalite now... Maybe I could just find a way to fit Andalite in somewhere...

"Uh-huh. And why would you leave home out of no where and stay when there's no one to stay with here?" Tucker said.

I can't be busted now! "I told Jazz. I just forgot to tell you guys. And I could just stay in my house- I mean, everyone thinks I'm gone. I can't stay at your houses then!" But in reality, I didn't tell Jazz, I barely thought about coming back, and the last part is correct...

And then we just go back to normal as if this never happened, as if everything, for once, was going right...

-that afternoon after school-

I had gone back home after lunch- after all, the entire school DID think I had left for good except for Sam, Tucker and Valerie. I had found an old sleeping bag in the basement that hadn't been contaminated with ectoplasm and I was sitting on it, leaning against the wall, head titled downward, when they came in.

"Hey dude!" Tucker practically yelled in my ear when he entered.

I quickly turned invisible, startled, before I saw that it was just them, and that they were laughing. "Not funny," I muttered as I turned visible again. I rubbed the back of my head. "Now why did you wake me?"

"Well, you can't expect us to let you live in this dump, can you? I mean, you need at least something more than a sleeping bag!" Tucker exclaimed.

"We started on a list of things you would need if you ever decided to come visit for longer than a day." Sam stated. "We have, a mattress, some pillows, blankets..."

"Andalite." I blurted out.

There was a brief look of disgust on Tucker's face before his expression changed to match Sam's of confusion. Tucker was a Controller as well. I wonder how long he had been one. But so far Sam seemed to be OK, but I still need to be completely sure, so I should still stay for the three days...

"Excuse me?" Sam wondered, cocking an eyebrow.

"And a light," I said slower, making it seem like I was saying something to add to the list, not a weird name.

Sam nodded, getting it, and added it to her mental list. Tucker, on the other hand, was concealing it, but was moving slightly away, trying to move away from me, thinking I might be able to expose him and the Yeerks. I wonder why he hasn't decided to suggest ghosts- or me- to join the Sharing yet... Maybe something about how ghosts are, or he just joined recently...

"Oh and Tuck, do you still have a meeting tonight?" Sam inquired. Guess that also stated that Sam wasn't in the Sharing unless she was talking about something else...

"What meeting?" I asked.

"The Sharing, you heard of it yet?" Tucker replied. I shook my head, though I did know about the Sharing. "It's a great club. There's a meeting every three days, and we go to all sorts of places. Tonight we're just meeting at the building, a standard meeting. I'm going to help some of the new members get to know the Sharing before they decide to be full members."

I raised my eyebrow. "So when exactly did you join this?"

Tucker thought for a while. "I was checking it out a few days before you left, and joined maybe a week later..."

About two months. He's been one for about that long. I can't believe it- but I can't let myself let go to Dan. Not this time. There's still hope that Sam's free...

"Anyway, what do you guys want to do besides renovate?" I said casually, leaning back again. The only thing I could think of then was "Jake is gonna kill me for leaving."

-that night-

Sam had given me an inflatable mattress to use until we could find other bed to keep there for whenever I wanted to stay there. I was lying on my back on it with my eyes closed, half asleep, but still awake enough to notice when something started walking on my chest.

I slowly opened my eyes and stared right into the golden fierce pair of a hawk. I yelped, not sure how in the world a hawk got into my room before I realized it was Tobias.

Rubbing my head, having bumped it on the wall, and carefully sitting up, making sure I wouldn't make Tobias fall off completely, I blinked. "Tobias, what are you doing here?"

((What are YOU doing here?)) He countered, cocking his head sideways. ((You were talking to Jake and then you just ran off... What happened?))

"He didn't believe me. Don't know what got into me. Just ran back here..." Tobias didn't know about Dan... Since I told him about being Phantom should I tell him about Dan? No, there was just too much going on right now, I can't pressure him even more by saying I could become a monster whenever I couldn't stand something...

((So you just headed all this way because he didn't believe you? You didn't even think of showing him?)) Tobias stated. ((That could've saved you and me both a lot of flying,))

I sighed. "My best friend is one of them. He joined a week after I left." I combed my hand through my hair. "I had to know if my friends were on the other side of the war."

((Well, you need to come back. We have a mission soon- trying to see if we can find more entrances to the Yeerk Pool or if we can try to free some more Controllers.)) Tobias told me.

"What?!" I almost yelled. "I need to at least try to save Tucker! I could be helping here more than I could there!"

Tobias glared at me- more than his eyes would normally. ((Oh yeah? And what happens when we need you back there? When only a ghost can save us from wherever we're at?))

My eyes went to the floor as Tobias hopped onto the dresser. "At least let me try to free him." I whisper sadly.

My friend sighed. ((Fine. I'll tell Jake that you're here.)) He flew out my window, into the night.

"Thank you." I said as I lay back onto my bed, staring at the ceiling, wondering, wishing...


	10. Freedom?

don't own either of my fave series sadly... if i did own both, this would've became one of the episodes/books... and i wouldn't be here, would i?

Review Replies for Chapter 8:

The Feral Candy Cane- thanks! and wait... Dannys? yeah, i'm the author and i'm lost about what you're talking about... ^^; you're going to need to tell me what you're talking about here...

Review Replies for Chapter 9:

The Feral Candy Cane- Yep. and yep again. i know, i would've shut down or something... i wish i had an excuse for why i do these things to Danny... but i don't so... ^^;

this chapter is pretty short compared to the others... in fact, i think there's only like three chapters shorter... ^^; don't worry, i think chapter 11 is almost done!

CHAPTER TEN

I didn't think of trying to find out where the Sharing building in Amity was last night and save Tucker then. I didn't even know what I was going to do today. All I had so far was, grab him, acquire him, tie him up and lock him in the old Fenton Works, and find a way to make it look like he was still at school and etc. yet watch him at the same time. Maybe I could ask Sam to help me somehow...

In the near empty internet cafe there was a soft beep as my email said that someone had logged on. Since it was long before anyone should be up, I wondered who it could be.

Bball24 has logged on.

Jake. How did he get my email?

DFenton: What is it?

Bball24: Why are you in Amity Park first of all?

DFenton: Maybe the fact that you looked at me like I was insane when I told you that I was Phantom?

Bball24: And maybe I didn't believe you because maybe you are insane?

DFenton: Dude, if aliens are real, who's to say that ghosts aren't? You saw Skulker and the other ghosts that had entered the school, you know Danny Phantom is a ghost, so can't you believe it that I am him?

Bball24: Well, I do believe in ghosts, except for the fact that you said that you're half dead threw me off. Again, how is that possible?

DFenton: Don't ask me, I'm just the proof. I don't know how it is.

Bball24: So, why are you in Amity again?

DFenton: I don't know, I guess I overreacted and needed to be somewhere familiar. Then I found out one of my best friends is a Controller...

Bball24: This must be a lot of pressure for you, Danny. First Jazz and then Sam?

DFenton: First off, it's Tucker, and second, how do you know Sam? :?

Bball24: Tobias said something about a Sam and Tucker when he came back. He forgot to say which one was one of Them, so I guessed.

DFenton: Oh...

I waited for Jake to reply, thinking if I ever told Tobias about Sam. I must have at one point, but if I didn't, he probably been around long before he showed himself, and he must of heard me say Sam's name.

Bball24: So what are you gonna do?

DFenton: I'm trying to think of a way to free Tucker. But I don't think I can pull off covering for him AND watch him at the same time...

Bball24: Tobias could help, he's reading over my shoulder right now saying he could. He could fly back and watch him while you cover for him for the three days. Since today's Friday, the rest of us could try to help watch over the weekends.

DFenton: Thanks, I need to get going so I can catch Tucker. Tobias, I'm going to need you hear in about a bit less than two hours so I can start covering. He only has first period free, and he can't really be missing for that long.

Bball24: Tobias says OK. He's heading over there now. See you.

DFenton: Later.

DFenton has logged off.

I turned off the computer. I stood up and exited the place. The sky was bright and blue, a great day for a flight, if I didn't have a mission I would too.

Right as I turned the corner, I saw Tucker walking towards me, messing with his PDA.

"Hey, Tuck, can I talk to you in private?" I asked when he got close to me.

Tucker looked up from his PDA. "Sure Danny. What is it?"

"About the Sharing..." I began.

"Yeah?" Tucker said. There was a look of fear in his face... Fear that I might have found out what he was? Well, if that was the case, then he had all rights to be afraid.

"Did you notice that there were so many slugs in there?" I stated, feeling some anger mixing with the fear. "I went there this morning, and there were a lot of them all over the place." I turned, leading him back to my place. He was concentrating on how I knew this more than where we were going.

"What slugs?" Tucker asked. "I didn't see any, and I've been going there every three days for over two months now." He lied. He probably knew that I was talking about the Yeerks, but was still confused on how I could even know about aliens.

"Slugs. They were really big, bigger than normal slugs. I can't believe you didn't notice them! There must have been thousands of them!" I exclaimed.

We were on my street now. He was slowing down, starting to realize we weren't heading towards Casper High. Bull... Maybe I can try to use a duplicate to control him until I can get him tied up...

Knowing this might be my only chance, I quickly made a duplicate and turned it invisible before Tucker could notice. It flew behind Tucker, waiting for me to make it enter him. It would be hard, considering he was being controlled right now and he might be able to tell when he was being controlled other than the Yeerk...

"And I still say I never saw any. I don't know what you're talking about. Maybe you were at the wrong place." Tucker replied.

"No, I'm pretty sure I was at the Sharing." I countered, and sent the duplicate to over shadow him.

"T-" He began before his eyes turned green.

I quickly made us enter the house and led him to the chair. I made some ectoplasmic ropes and tied him with them, making sure he couldn't get free, and just to be safe, just in case something came in and destroyed the ectoplasm, tied him with normal ropes as well. I sat down in the chair across from him before letting my duplicate disappear.

Tucker shook his head before realizing he was tied up. "D-Danny? W-what happened? Why am I tied up? Where are we?" He wondered- all an act.

"Stop the act. I know what you are." I told him.

"What act? Danny, did something happen to you? 'Cause this isn't you." Tucker lied.

"You know what I mean. And this is the same Danny, the same Danny that had the fate of Amity Park on his shoulders, the same Danny that now has the fate of the world on his back, the same old Danny and then some. The only one who changed was you." I hissed.

"Danny-" Tucker began.

"Don't play dumb, YEERK." I said. "I know what you are, and I know that you're controlling Tucker. And don't say that there is no such things as Yeerks."

Tucker- no the Yeerk controlling him- was surprised. "If you know what's good for you, then I'd suggest you let me go. NOW. If you do, then maybe I won't go turn you into dust with a Dracon Beam."

"Do you really think your host will let you turn his best friend into dust? I don't think so." I countered. "And I don't think you have the guts."

"You under estimate me, fool. Do you not think that I couldn't just kill you in one blow?" He yelled.

"Just like you and your race killed Elfangor?" I whispered harshly. "Your race are cowards. Your leader just ate him instead of fighting him like a true warrior would have."

"How do you-?" The Yeerk started. "How can you know about this?!"

"I. Met. Him." I said simply. "I was there when Visser Three murdered Elfangor."

"He deserved to die!" The Yeerk shouted.

I raised an eyebrow. "Oh yeah? So since someone of your race killed Elfangor, I should kill you for revenge?"

The Yeerk growled. "You can't do this! The Visser will find out!"

I shook my head as I heard flapping at the window. "Not if you're not gone." I headed to the window to open it.

"There's no way you can watch me the entire three days AND cover for me at the same time!" He told me.

"I'm not alone." I stated as Tobias flew into the room.

((This him?)) Tobias asked in private thought speak. I nodded in reply.

"A bird? A normal, dumb, stupid, Daspen bird?!" The Yeerk exclaimed.

((I'm not normal.)) Tobias said as he glared at my controlled friend.

"A Daspen Andalite then!" The Yeerk muttered.

"You should stop cursing." I replied, guessing that Daspen was a curse.

"I can curse as much as I want, you Daspen fool!" He mumbled.

I rolled my eyes. I grabbed his arm firmly. "Now, this won't hurt a bit..." I whispered as I concentrated on acquiring his DNA so I could pass for him.

"W-" He began before he started getting into the dazed phase.

When I finally let go, the Yeerk started cursing at me over and over again. In several languages.

"They'll never believe you're me! Besides, you can't stay in morph for that long! You won't be able to hide it from the other Yeerks that you're morphing!" The Yeerk yelled at me.

I shrugged. "In the proper lighting and Tucker's clothes, it's not that hard to hide my morphing. After all, I'm just going to morph another human, not another animal." I took some of Tucker's clothes- not the ones he was wearing now!- and went into another room to morph.

It was a while before I went back to the other room. I had barely noticed I had morphed- after all, not much of a change except a slight height, weight, hair, eye color and skin tone morph. When I did, I grabbed Tucker's glasses from his face- man, I don't know how I'll be able to see, I mean, morphing makes the vision completely all right and I still need to wear glasses?!- and his bag from the floor near the front door.

"There's nothing you can do... The other Yeerks will notice..." The Yeerk said under his breath, head hung low. "Nothing..."

I leaned in to whisper in his ear. "I am doing something. And I promise you, you will die Yeerk. Even if it takes the rest of my half life, you WILL die." I stood up, nodded at Tobias, then left the room.

-Tucker POV-

The Yeerk was silent after Danny left. He just made me stare at the hawk until the hawk broke the silence.

((Who are you?)) The hawk asked

The Yeerk didn't answer at first. I don't know why, he just didn't. It was a full five minutes before the Yeerk answered with "My name is Hcari One-Zero-Seven."

((Why earth? Why invade the humans?)) The hawk questioned.

"Like you care, you Daspen Andalite." Hcari scoffed. "The Andalites care about no one except themselves."

((Not all do. I don't. Now answer me.)) The hawk demanded.

Hcari rolled my eyes. "Like I should know. This happened long before my time."

The hawk was silent for a while. He glared right at my eyes, as if he could see right through them and burn Hcari from there. ((Danny knows what he's doing, Tucker. You'll be all right and freed in no time.)) And that was the last thing he said for hours, no matter what Hcari said to him.

I heard what the hawk had said. I know that he said that I would be freed. I know he promised I would be all right...

But what if I wasn't? What if Hcari told the other Yeerks that Danny was able to morph and knew about them? What if Danny became a Controller and the small resistance were all captured?

Then it would be all MY fault that everyone would be doomed to be slaves to the Yeerks.

I don't think I'd be able to live with myself then.

-hours later-

I had let myself fade out of reality. In other words, I was asleep but my body was awake because of the Yeerk. Around the end of the day, there was a sound that made me wake up.

The window was open. I don't know how it happened. Danny had closed it before he had left, hadn't he? No... He had left it open. Still don't know how no one saw me through it when they passed by...

Hcari had heard the noise as well. He was making me look around the room to see if we could find the source of the sound.

I noticed a couple things:

One, the hawk guy had left or he wasn't in the same room or was behind us.

Two, Danny still wasn't here.

And three, whatever had made that noise was coming.

Hcari was freaking out. He stood up, carrying the chair and tried to walk to the door. Why he didn't do it earlier, I have no idea.

"I wouldn't do that." A voice said. "I can morph and kill you within a second."

Hcari stopped in his tracks.

"Good. Now go back to where you were, or else... Well, you know." The voice continued.

Slowly nodding, Hcari backed up and sat the chair back down where it was.

"Don't you dare move a muscle, Yeerk." The voice concluded. The voice remained silent after that, and Hcari didn't dare try again.

Danny returned about half an hour later, and as soon as he entered the house, he started demorphing into his normal self. He removed the glasses but seemed too tired to change back into his normal clothes or even bother to remove the hat. He glanced at the person that the voice belonged to who was behind me, before giving a slight nod- perhaps a thank you or something like that. He sighed and pulled up a chair, setting it in front of me. He then sat down there and stared into my eyes, as if that would burn the Yeerk.

Dude, can you stop staring at me? I thought. It could help, but it's freaking me out...

"Tucker wants you to stop staring at him." Hcari said for me. "It's freaking him out."

Hcari confused me right then. Why did he say that? A plan perhaps? Or maybe he changed personalities and isn't like he was before when Danny said he knew?

My friend closed his eyes, sighing. He then looked above my head at the person behind me. He nodded once again, and it seemed like he was telling that person something, but not even his body language let it slip. Danny stood up and the person took his place.

The person was someone I never met, that's for sure. Maybe someone Danny met after he moved- maybe the Andalite that Hcari thought that told Danny in human morph...

He had brown eyes, brown hair, and medium toned skin, as far as I could tell. He was around my age in human years, but the eyes gave it away, saying that he had experienced something that not even me with my standards have, more or less a normal teen. It was as if he had mentally aged a few years, or who knows how much, but was stuck in a body of a child. Like vampires.

He was wearing a green shirt and khaki pants, sneakers poking out from the end of them. He was staring at me, in a manor like Danny had, except his was more like he was studying a test subject unlike someone he wanted to hurt to get them free.

"My human form's name is Jake. I have been here for the past few hours while Danny has been pretending to be you. We're only trying to help you, Tucker, understand that. But you'll have to be here for three days until we get your Yeerk to die, all right? We just want the resistance against the Yeerks to be stronger. We won't hurt you once you're free from the Yeerk." Jake promised. "Once you're free, you can't go on telling people that Yeerks are real- as much as you'd wish to. Anyone you tell could be one of them. You won't be able to morph like Danny and myself, but you'll be able to help us by spreading word not to join the Sharing." He paused, letting it all sink in.

I don't know what was going on with Hcari. He already seemed to be slipping, but as a host, I knew that he would die in three days without the rays, and he had fed yesterday. But then again, we did go more often than most of the Controllers... Every two days, to be exact. He would always be weak by afternoon, and he'd have to ask multiple Controllers, different faces each time, to help him get to the Pool...

"Do you understand what I'm telling you, Tucker?" Jake asked me, looking at me with concern. I guess I wasn't paying attention...

Hcari didn't even try to nod. It was as if he had lost all hope already, and knew that if he didn't escape soon, he'd be toast.

"I... under... stand..." I thought I was thinking, but when I saw the looks on Jake's and Danny's faces, I knew something had happened.

Danny raised an eyebrow at Jake, as if he couldn't believe whatever had just happened. Maybe he was asking him something silently. Jake, in reply, just shrugged, as if even that Andalite didn't know if it was possible.

"What?" I thought.

Jake stared at me, raising an eyebrow, not sure completely if he was hearing right or something. "Hcari... are you playing a joke on us, pretending to be Tucker?"

I mentally raised an eyebrow. "Hcari, what do they mean?"

In reply Hcari just grunted and went back to thinking about how to escape.

"OK... You did say that Tom goes to the Sharing every three days, right?" Danny wondered, him and Jake sharing glances.

"I'm certain." Jake stated. "There's no way Tucker could be gaining control again right now. It should be on Sunday when the Yeerk dies, not now,"

"Taking control again?" Did they mean when I was supposed to be free only on Sunday?

The Andalite glanced my way again. He looked back at Danny, a hint of confusion and concern in his eyes. "I don't think he knows what's happening currently, Danny. I think he still thinks that he's only thinking whatever he's actually saying out loud."

"Talking?" What were they talking about now?

Danny sighed. "Tucker... you're talking. You're gaining control again..."

"What?!" I exclaimed. "B-b-but... Hcari... three days... the... the..."

Jake turned back to me. "Tucker, do you think you can ask Hcari what's going on and why you already have control while he's still alive in there?"

I nodded, still shocked that I had control over myself- for now, at least.

((Hcari...)) I began, not sure what to say.

((I'm not like other Yeerks. Something wrong happened when I was "born". I wasn't completely... how do you humans say... formed... I'm weaker than most Yeerks. Hence having to feed every other day, and why I'm giving up and letting you have near complete control right now. I'm always tired by the end of the first day, and by the end of the second, I'm always afraid that you would see that my control was slipping and you'd make a break for it...)) Hcari explained. I quickly told Danny and the Andalite what he had said before he continued. ((I try to make up for it by being one of the more strict Yeerks, which sort of explains my choice of words earlier this morning. I guess... I'm afraid of being weak, so I act like I'm not, and since the other Controllers that help me I never see again because they have other schedules, they don't know the real reason I'm weak. They just suspect that I nearly died from lack of rays, that it's been near the end of the third day and I barely escaped dying... Like that Savon character from the book "Blood is Thicker". One of my past hosts read it. Savon felt like no one thought he was perfect, that he'd always be behind his cousin Hakeem, that he started joining the wrong group. I guess you can say that I joined the wrong group by doing what I have...))

I paused, not sure if I should tell them this. Hcari urged me to tell them, that it was better for them to know.

((I just want you to know this, Tucker. Most Yeerks would be ashamed to say this, but then again, I'm not most Yeerks...)) Hcari paused. ((I'm sorry for putting you through all this.)) Hcari closed my eyes- probably the most he could manage to do currently, or all he wanted to do. ((I'm going to come out now. Tell your friends so they won't be alarmed.))

"Hcari's coming out now." I warned them.

((They can kill me if they want. I'm not up for a fight now, not never... I just want the hurt to go away...)) Was the last thing Hcari said before he started exiting my ear.

I gasped when Hcari left my ear completely and fell on the floor. It felt strange... Even though my last completely free moment was about twenty-four hours ago, it didn't feel right...

Danny and the Andalite backed away from where Hcari fell. We all stared at the Yeerk, before it quickly turned to dust and blew away, as if Hcari was never there.

They awkwardly started fixing up the room, and left me alone, seeing I needed time to myself for a while.

I should have been happy that I was free. I should be celebrating. I should be going home. I should be pulling out some gadget. I should be bugging the Andalite to show me some high tech stuff.

But all I could think of was this:

How would Hcari have been if he was my friend?

-later that night-

"We could really use your help, but we don't have the Blue Box so you won't be able to morph." Jake stated. "But we could find a way for you to help us anyway... that is, IF you want to,"

Danny glanced at me. Was this the same way Danny had became part of the resistance? Was this why he seemed so tense? A shadow of his former self?

After a while, I slowly nodded. I couldn't just forget all about being a Controller and all that happened to me. "OK, I will. I'll help you."

"OK, but how would we make an excuse for Tucker to leave to help us out? The rest of the resistance are all back in -blank-. It's not like we can pretend that Tucker died and take him back there." Danny stated.

Jake was silent for a while. "That's it- we kill Tucker!"


	11. Death?

double posts rocks! this is a pretty short chapter, i know that, but i didn't know how to end it, and it seemed to be at the point where i normally end- cliffhanger ish endings- so i ended it there... which was short...

anyway, don't own DP or Animorphs- cause if i did, would i be here?

Review Replies for Chapter 10

The Feral Candy Cane: oh... it is confusing if the POV is Tucker, Tobias or Jake's, because they'd be calling him Danny both ways mentally and then Phantom/Fenton when speaking... so i understand. but if there's a case of doubles where one is Phantom the other is Fenton, then they would be calling him by Phantom/Fenton... you're welcome! do you think that if i had Danny tie him up and all that that i'd keep him a Controller? well, maybe i would have... *shrug* i don't know. as for Hcari... blame Aftran or however you spell her name. i don't think that any of the Yeerks i make that actually stay in the story for at least a page are like the Visser... or at least, completely like him... and thanks!

CHAPTER 11

"All r- wait..." Danny began. "Did I hear you right?"

"Yeah 'cause I thought I heard you say that the way for me to help you is to be killed. And I don't think I want to be killed." I stated.

"Killing Tucker would just make us lose one of our allies." Danny reminded him.

"If you want another ghost on your side, you might as well ask an already dead one!" I agreed.

Jake sighed. "Not what I meant at all..." He paced a while. "If one of us morphs Tucker and seems to have died, then we can take him back home, without the worry of people knowing he's gone. The person who morphed Tucker would just have to demorph in the Emergency Vehicle, morph and escape, so people will think that someone stole Tucker's body. At least then, we won't lost anyone- at least, not now, anyway."

"True, and since we can morph, we'd be able to heal any injuries." Danny agreed.

"But what about Sam?" I wondered.

Jake raised an eyebrow. "What about her?"

Danny seemed to catch on. "Right after I move, her other best friend 'dies', do you really think it would be fair for her?"

"Yeah, she is our best friend," I said. "Couldn't we even tell her what we're going to do first?"

The Andalite sighed. "You're just bringing in more people that might not even be able to help into this mess, you know that right?"

"Yeah, so? It would gain us another ally, another that can pass as a normal human, an enemy the Yeerks wouldn't suspect," Danny smirked, seeing he was sort of getting on his -leader? friend?- friend's nerves.

Sighing, Jake shook his head. "OK, you can tell her about the trick, but that's it. We can't risk her being a Yeerk now- she could have joined when we weren't paying attention. Ask her if she joined before you tell her about the plan, that way, afterwards, you can go ahead and warn her not to join. But that's it- no talk about Yeerks, or anything. We can't stay here too long."

I nodded. "All right. So when do you wanna tell her?" I directed the last part to Danny.

Danny smirked. "How about... right now?"

-At Sam's House-

Danny phased me and Jake into Sam's room. Jake had said he'd rather not morph just yet. Only if needed, he had told us.

"OK, since this is both of you guys' friend, who's doing the honors?" Jake asked.

"Danny/Tucker." We both said at once.

"What? Why me?" I whined. "At least you can get her awake without getting too close!"

"Fine, I'll do it, just stop being a baby!" Danny replied.

Jake rubbed his temples. "Oh come on and do it already!"

Danny rolled his eyes. He told us to be within grabbing range of him- I knew why, but he had to tell Jake that it was because she might throw something at us, even though it was more like to annoy her my waking her up then making her think no one was there. He made a small ectoplasm ball and sent it at her, knowing it would only give her a small jolt. He then grabbed us and turned us invisible.

"Who's there?!" Sam demanded as she jolted right up out of her bed, a glare already on her eyes. She groaned as she realized what had happened then. "Danny! It's the middle of the night!"

"Blah!" Danny muttered as he made himself invisible then me, but left Jake invisible since he didn't want to be revealed just yet.

Sam sighed. "What is it now?"

"I'm gonna die." I said quickly.

She laughed. "OK, what type of sick joke is this?"

"It's not a joke," Jake stated as he became visible.

Gasping, Sam looked between the three of us. "I..."

Jake nodded. "Yeah, it's me."

"Do you two... know each other?" I wondered, asking for both myself and Danny.

"In... in a way," Sam told us.

"This is just too weird..." Danny mumbled. "First, I run into Tobias, then It happened, then Jazz, then Tucker, and now this?"

Sam cocked her head to the side and raised an eyebrow. "What are you talking about? What's 'It'? What happened to Jazz and Tucker?"

"We can't explain right now." Jake cut in before she could ask another question. "We're not planning on staying long. We just intend to tell you a plan, and that's it."

"And this plan is?" Sam inquired.

"We're gonna kill me." I said quickly.

"WHAT?! WHAT TYPE OF PLAN IS THAT?!" Sam almost screamed. We just had to hope that she didn't wake her parents.

"We need to get Tucker out of here. The Sharing's going to try to get him again. So we're faking his death then bringing him back to -nowhere." Jake explained.

"We need his help back there as well, so this would be killing two birds with one stone- protecting Tucker, and getting his help." Danny continued.

"You can't tell anyone, Sam. Not even my parents, as much as it would hurt them." I couldn't stand the thought of hurting them... But it had to be done. I could probably return home after the war is over. I could explain to them why I had done what I did. It may be days, weeks, months, or years before I come home again.

Maybe not never...

I shook my head. "We just wanted to tell you before we do it."

"We can all be in contact, but we'd need to make up a new alias for Tucker everywhere- email, school, everything. It might be hard, but I'm sure Tucker could speed it up a bit." Jake told her. "We're still not sure where he could stay, but until then, we're good." He turned to Danny and me. "Come on, we need to get it set."

"See ya Sam." Danny and I said in unison.

"Bye guys." Sam replied as Danny turned the three of us intangible and invisible before flying out into the night.

-the next day-

"Are you sure you want to be the one to do this?" Jake asked Danny for the millionth time.

"I'm sure, Dad." Danny joked. "I'm the most likely to survive- besides, it would be an easier escape from the van for me. Don't have to morph again- just phase through."

Jake sighed. "OK. You got your stuff?" He directed the last part to me.

I nodded. I had precious memories from home in my backpack- family/friend photos, my PDA, some other high tech stuff...

I looked over the edge of the roof of the old Fenton Works. This was where we were going to do it. Where we were going to make it look like I died...

"What if the Yeerks don't fall for it?" I wondered.

The Andalite shrugged. "I guess it's a risk we'll have to take, Tuck."

I sighed as Danny told us he was ready. He was standing on the edge of the roof, already morphed as me and wearing some of my spare clothes and glasses.

"Don't die on us again." I half joked, trying to lighten up our moods- mainly mine...

Danny gave a half smile. "I wouldn't count on it." He turned back to Jake. "You got the phone, right?"

Jake nodded. "Right here." He took it out, 911 already dialed, all he had to do was press call. "Careful, man. We can't be losing a member already so early in the war."

"I got it, Dads." Danny muttered. I guess we deserved it- after all, we were acting a lot like it. He took a deep breath. "Ready?"

"Ready." Jake and I said, Jake's finger hovering over the call button.

"Here it goes!" Danny jumped off...

And went down screaming like a lunatic.

Jake pressed the button before Danny was all the way down, to shorten the time Danny would be in morph and dying. "A guy just jumped off a building!" He made it seem like he was actually in shocked and scared- though I bet he and me both were both a bit scared that Danny might not have made it. "Right off of the old Fenton Works, where the ghost hunters used to live. Yes, the one that had the giant lights! Just hurry! I don't think he'll last long!" Jake then quickly hanged up.

Slowly, unsure, both of us looked over the edge of the building. Danny had hit the ground, but we couldn't really tell if he was alive enough to survive but dead enough to look dead.

"Stay here, I'm going to morph to check if he's all right." Jake ordered and quickly morphed a peregrine falcon (A/N: not sure if he has this morph already, but I'm guessing he does, 'cause one, if he didn't he wouldn't have been able to get to Amity, and two, well there is no two yet...) then flew down a bit closer- not too close to make it seem suspicious, but not to far so that he couldn't tell if Danny was OK.

Thirty seconds passed. A minute. Two. It was almost five minutes before Jake responded with a ((He's OK.))

I let go of a breath that I didn't know I was holding. I couldn't believe that I might have just sent my best friend into his- no, MY- grave. But he was OK... Alive- well, half alive.

"What took you so long to find out?" I asked, knowing he would be able to hear me because of his heightened sense of hearing in morph.

((He was being really still, and the fact that he's already half dead made it hard for me to find the sound of his heartbeat. He's a really good actor,)) Jake replied right before the sirens came.

People were pouring out onto the sidewalks when they heard the sirens. They probably didn't hear Danny screaming so loud he could've made a Ghostly Wail then and there. They all gasped when they saw Danny on the ground, a pool of blood forming around him...

"My parents..." I whispered when I saw their faces pop out from the crowd.

((Calm down, Tucker. It's not them. It's some other random couple. Before you woke up, I checked on them. They're at work.)) Danny's voice said in my mind.

I calmed down a bit, trying to forget that sad fact. Then I wondered how Danny could talk to me in thoughtspeak if he was basically on the verge of meeting death again.

I didn't have a chance to think long. The emergency van had already arrived and were checking Danny's vital signs. They came to the conclusion that he -I- was dead. They placed Danny's body onto the stretcher and put him into the back of the van, pure disappointment on their faces. They were upset that they didn't get to the scene on time. That they couldn't save a teen's life...

But they had saved my life. By declaring I was dead, I could go back with Danny and Jake to save even more teens' and other people's lives.

At least there was an upside to this.

((I'm going to scout for him, OK? Just stay here and don't go anywhere that people can see that you're alive.)) Jake told me.

"In other words, stay here." I muttered.

((That's one way to put it.)) Jake laughed. ((We'll be back in a bit. Just be ready to leave.))

"Been ready." I half lied as I lay down on the roof.

This time, the only thing that was on my mind was:

Do I have to go to school on Monday?

-Danny's POV-

I winced in extreme pain as soon as the medics left me in the back of the van, making their way to the front. ((Note to self, never go bungee jumping.)) I muttered, trying to move before realizing that I'd have to demorph first.

((Very funny,)) Jake's voice said in my head.

((Hey, you try being the me right now! I can't even move now!)) I snapped.

((Don't take it out on me!)) Jake replied.

We were silent for a while.

((Is it clear?)) I asked at last, unable to bear the pain any longer.

After about half a minute, Jake answered. ((They've pulled over; they're talking about if they should bring you to the hospital and have Tucker's records filled out or if they should just bring you to the morgue right away.)) He paused. ((You have maybe two minutes at the most.))

((More than I need,)) I stated. I quickly demorphed, ignoring the pain as the wounds closed and bones relined. In less than a minute, all injuries were fixed, and I was myself again. I turned invisible, went ghost, then phased through the back doors of the van...

And was almost smashed to pieces when I got out.

((Dude, are you all right?)) Jake wondered, concerned.

((I'm just lucky I didn't go tangible then!)) I replied and flew up to where Jake was before turning visible. "Man, am I glad that that's over with!" I sighed of relief.

((You don't know how much you had us worried when I went to check if you were alive back there!)) Jake stated.

We laughed together for a while before something hit us.

(("TUCKER!"))

-Tucker's POV (again)-

"What's taking them so long?!" I complained. I had to move into the door/hallway thing that lead to the stairs that brought us up and down the building because of the chance that someone had a telescope or something to see me up there...

OK, all right, that wasn't the only reason... Hey, you can't blame me, it was scorching hot out there!

((TUCKER!)) I heard someone yell- I was pretty sure that it was Jake's voice.

"Huh, I wonder what's wrong," I muttered in a monotone voice, though sarcasm still in it.

The thoughtspeak was still pretty faint, so I assumed that they were still a bit away. Maybe they forgot about me for a moment and just now remembered?

"Most likely," I mumbled. I leaned against the wall again, bored out of my mind. I didn't feel like toying with my PDA- I know, so unlike me, but when you've gone through what I just did, you tell me if you're still doing things you used to do now.

After a few more minutes of being bored, I heard the sound of someone landing outside on the roof. I stood still, holding my breath, not making a single sound, just in case it wasn't Jake and Danny.

((Yo Jake, this isn't funny man! Answer me! Come on!)) It was another guy, but not the hawk that watched me yesterday during the school hours, and not Jake or Danny for sure. But it didn't sound like the Visser (yes I know him, Hcari had been near him once and when he died I got his memories) so it could be a friend...

I pressed my ear against the door and almost gagged when I heard the sound of bones and organs being moved around- the obvious sound of morphing. I may have heard/seen Jake morph already, but it didn't really help at all. But I held it in, making sure that I wouldn't be found out just yet. I couldn't let him get me- he could still be a foe.

"This is some lame joke, Jake. Come on! My dad will kill me if- what's with all that blood down there?" The guy changed subjects in the blink of an eye! First, how he'd get grounded, then the blood!

"That would be our fault." Danny's voice stated.

"Phantom? Where's Jake? When did you get here?" The guy asked. Definitely friend. Maybe I should-

((Right here. Have you seen anyone else up here?)) Jake replied right before the sounds told me he was demorphing.

"No... Why?" The guy answered right before I opened the door.

The still demorphing Jake- he looked like a huge bird man with a human head- Danny in ghost form and the guy all turned their heads my way. "Is it safe?" I inquired as I stepped out.

"Uh, who's he and why are you letting him see you demorph?! He could be a Controller!" He yelled at them.

"Chill Marco! This is my friend, Tucker Foley. He was the one that died down there, hence all of that blood." Danny explained.

Marco raised an eyebrow as he examined me. "So you're a ghost? You don't look like one..."

"And I'm not." I decided to tease Marco a little bit. So I went up to him and shook his hand. "Hcari One-Zero-Seven at your service."

Marco's eyes opened wide, while Jake- who was now completely human- and Danny covered their mouths to keep from laughing out loud. When Marco turned to them, they took on perfect general expressions. He turned back to me. "YOU'RE A CONTROLLER!" He exclaimed. He turned back to Danny and Jake. "YOU LET A CONTROLLER HELP FIND OUT WHO WE WERE?! WHAT IF HE TRIED TO INFEST YOU AND GOT US ALL?!"

I guess Jake and Danny decided to join in on the fun as well, because they frowned.

"He knows too much, Inos," Danny stated, circling Marco.

"Yes, Visser." Jake/"Inos" replied. "May I suggest we infest him now?"

"I believe we should. I should pay you for your intelligence." Danny/Visser (I don't know what made Jake think Danny should pretend to be a Visser) said. "Hcari, Inos, hold him."

"Yes, Visser," Jake and I said in unison. We both grabbed one of Marco's arms as Danny closed in with an ectoplasm ball around his hand, making it seem like he had a ghost of a Yeerk in it.

"Guys, this isn't funny! Really! Stop playing with me!" Marco seemed to be on the verge of screaming like a girl.

"This isn't a game." Danny smirked as he reached us. He leaned in and whispered in Marco's ear, "And it is funny."

Marco's eyes seemed like they were about to pop out of his head. He turned to me in fear. "Please, help!" I guess he decided that I was the least harmful "Controller" out of the three of us.

I shook my head sadly. "I can't disobey my Visser, Marco."

"Welcome to your new host, Hsor One-Two-Six." Danny muttered as he made the image of the Yeerk begin to enter Marco's ear.

Marco closed his eyes shut and all was silent for about a minute or two. Marco was still closing his eyes, waiting for the moment when he would be a Controller, when the rest of us burst out laughing. He opened one eye slowly, then the other, completely confused. "What?"

"You should've seen the look on your face!" I exclaimed in between fits of laughter.

"So... you three AREN'T Controllers?" Marco asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Not now, anyway." Jake told him. "Tucker was, but his Yeerk died last night."

He turned to me. "So the Hcari One-Zero-Seven part was real?"

"As real as I am right now." I stated.

Then Marco looked even more confused than ever. "But... Phantom, didn't you say he died down there? Before we went into the 'I'm-a-Controller' act?"

Danny nodded. "Yep. We needed to get him out of here, and the only non suspicious way was making it look like he died."

"So Phantom morphed Tucker, jumped off of the building, played dead, demorphed in the van, then escaped." Jake told him.

"OK, I am officially confused." Marco replied, scratching the back of his head.

"So am I." I said, making them all turn to me again, their expressions saying "about what?" So I answered them. "What guy has long hair?"

"Very funny." Marco said, voice pure sarcasm, as the rest of us laughed at him.

"Come on, we should go introduce Tucker to the rest of the team." Jake stated after all of the laughing set side, already morphing his peregrine falcon, Marco right behind with an osprey morph.

"Ready?" Danny asked and I nodded, though all I could think of was- there's more of them?

-in the new Fenton Works-

Danny phased us through the outer wall of a guest room (I THINK it was a guest room) then opened the window for Jake and Marco. I wondered if Marco knew he was Fenton AND Phantom. I decided I would ask Danny later.

"Why are we in Danny's house?" Marco wondered after he and Jake demorphed.

Apparently not.

"His sister lets me stay here time to time, though I can't say the same for her parents." Phantom stated.

"Haven't you heard Phantom? Danny's folks went missing." Marco replied.

"I know that. That was one of the reasons why I went back to Amity. I assumed they would be there, then I found out that one of Danny's friends, and mine I might add, was a Controller." Danny said.

"Which would be me." I added, though the fact that Danny's parents were missing surprised me. I wondered why he didn't tell me earlier.

"OK then." Marco turned to Jake. "What now, O Fearless Leader?"

Jake rolled his eyes. "He still needs to meet the rest of us. We should call them and tell them that we're having a meeting at the barn."

"One problem there," Danny interrupted. "How do we contact Tobias exactly?"

((No need to.)) It was the hawk from before. So he was Tobias... ((Does anyone notice anything at all these days? I've been in the tree outside the window since before you guys came.)) After about a minute of no one moving or anything, I assumed he was rolling his eyes. ((Well, is anyone going to let me in and introduce me to our friend?))

"Oh, sorry." Danny muttered. He had closed the window right after Jake and Marco had flown in. He went to the window and opened it, letting Tobias fly in. "And why do you need to be introduced to Tucker again?"

Tobias shrugged, as weird as it could be since he was a hawk doing human gestures. ((I guess because last time it was Hcari instead of him, I dunno.)) He turned to me. ((My name's Tobias, as I'm sure you found out already.))

"Tucker, again," I replied as Danny closed the window once more. A question entered my mind. "Why don't you demorph?"

The hawk didn't answer, and from the silence that came from everyone else, I had a feeling I had said something wrong.

"Tobias... he can't exactly demorph..." Danny told me.

"Sorry, I didn't know." I stated, wishing I had kept my mouth shut.

((It's OK man, I can still fly.)) Tobias assured me. ((Are you going to call Rachel and-))

We all turned sharply to see why Tobias had stopped...

And completely surprised to see him shaking on the ground.

"Tobias, Tobias!" Danny yelled.

"Marco and I will go get Cassie and Rachel." Jake said as he and Marco started morphing their bird morphs. I went to open the window again for them and they flew out as fast as possible.

"What's going on? What's happening to him?" I asked, scared. I remembered that Tobias was one of Danny's old friends, the one that he had ran into on his first day head and the one who was swapped around between his aunt and uncle. I knew how hard that would be for him- his sister a Controller, his friend barely free, then another friend having who knows what wrong with him... And then his original duty of being the ghostly protector of Amity Park added to that and his new duty of being part of the resistance against the Yeerks...

"I... I... I don't know!" Danny shouted at me. "W-why does everyone think I know everything?" This new responsibility was really getting to him. I decided not to bother him about it for a while, to at least get a little bit of pressure off his chest.

Danny's cell phone rang. He opened it quickly. "Hello?" He asked.

"Danny, Cassie's down too. She just fell as I came." Jake's voice said through the receiver, worry in his voice.

"O-OK, just calm down. Tobias is calming down, he seems to be getting better. I'll take him and Tucker there to the barn. Call Marco and tell them to go there to." Danny replied, trying to keep calm himself.

"OK, I will." Jake hung up.

Danny stood and put Tobias into my arms. "Hold him." He said. "And hold on tight." He grabbed me, phased us through the wall and flew us to Cassie's barn- whoever she was.

-Cassie's Barn-

Tobias had waken up during flight. He had immediately started screeching, clawing me, and trying to break free of my hold. It had taken some yelling to get him to remember who he was. He flew the rest of the way there by himself, leading Danny and me there.

When we got there, Jake, Marco and two other girls were already there. One was a tall Blonde that was holding a phone; the other was just now getting up, rubbing her head.

((Cassie, you had the dream?)) Tobias wondered, landing in the rafters above us.

The one that was getting up, Cassie, nodded. "Yeah. Rachel, I'm all right, put back the phone."

The Blonde, Rachel, nodded as she did so. "Are you sure you're all right?"

Cassie nodded. "Tobias, my parents aren't here, are they?"

Tobias shook his head. It was still weird to me- after all, bird, doing human gestures... ((Not that I can tell.))

"They left right before you passed out. I told them that I was doing a science project with you and we needed to be in the barn without any interruptions that way we won't do something wrong with the animals or the test." Jake replied. "Not that I was going to do that,"

"What's this about dreams?" I blurted out. I had forgotten that Danny and I were still invisible, since we didn't want people to yell out "Danny Phantom's here!" and mob us...

"Who's there?!" Rachel snapped, looking around.

"Rach, chill." Jake said. "Phantom,"

As soon as his name was mentioned, Danny dropped the invisibility between us both.

"Are you crazy?! Letting a stranger into our meeting?! What if he's a Controller?!" Rachel yelled.

I opened my mouth to speak, thinking of doing the same trick I had done to Marco before Danny's voice in my head interrupted me.

((Don't you dare try doing it to Rachel. I don't think she'll find it funny,)) Danny told me in thoughtspeak.

"I'm not." I told her instead. "I was, but my Yeerk died. Ask Phantom or Jake, they were there when it happened."

Rachel was about to shout again, before Cassie interrupted, trying to prevent a fight. "I believe you. I'm Cassie, and that's Rachel. It seems like you know the guys already."

"Yeah, I have. I'm Tucker Foley." I stated. I sent a quick glance at Danny, wondering if I could tell them that I was from Amity and all that. He nodded slightly, so that the others, except probably Tobias, couldn't tell. "I'm one of Danny Fenton's best friends."

"Your family moved here too?" Rachel wondered, raising an eyebrow. She probably knew that it wouldn't be a coincident if it happened. What were the chances that two best friends from the same place moved to the same place within a month or so of each other?

"His parents are still in Amity." Danny told her for me. "They think he's dead. He knew too much- we couldn't let him stay there in Amity and risk the chance that he would be taken by the Yeerks again."

"We faked his death so he could help us here. We're going to make a new alias for him soon. But for now," Jake took a bag and grabbed a video tape from it. He saw my confused look, and probably knew that I was wondering how he got it if he morphed straight here. "Asked Rachel to hold it to me before I went to Amity. She brought it for me," He turned to Cassie. "Mind if we use your VCR?"

"No problem." Cassie led us to her living room, the rest of us walking behind her- or flew in Danny's and Tobias' case.

"This was on the news the night when Danny ran off." Jake said as he inserted it in the tape into the VCR.

"And speaking of Danny," Rachel replied. "Does anyone know where he is? Does he even need to see this, Jake?"

Jake glanced at Danny. It seemed like out of everyone here, only him, Tobias and myself knew that Danny was Phantom, and Phantom was Danny. "I think he should see it." He said simply.

"I'll be back soon with him." Danny stated. "I know where he is," He quickly phased out of the house and about five minutes later, phased back in with a double in Fenton form.

"What is it?" Fenton asked. "A movie?"

"A short news story I think we should all watch." Jake pressed play and an image of an old man in a bathing suit appeared. He was holding some piece of metal.

"We need to watch hairy guys who need shirts to help us fight the Yeerks?" I wondered just as Marco said basically the same thing.

"The guy says he found that thing on the beach when it washed up on the shore after the storm a few days ago. Just watch."

The camera focused on the 2 foot long jagged piece of metal. There was writing on it- letters, maybe, but none from Earth!

As soon as it turned to the anchorwoman smiling, it went blank. Jake turned it off.

"So, what was the point in that?" Marco asked.

"I remember those letters." Fenton stated. "I saw them inside the ship when I got the box..." He took two globes out of his jeans. I wondered how they managed to fit in there and look like there was nothing in it. "...and on these holograms I took from there." He touched them in the same spot and two images emerged from the globes- an Andalite family in one, a human family in the other. There was the strange letters on the bottom of the hologram as well.

Phantom went over to the VCR and went back to where it was focused on the metal. "The same type of letters."

It all clicked in our minds.

"It was a piece of an Andalite ship." Jake stated...

And of course, Cassie and Tobias passed out, Cassie into Jake's arms, Tobias onto the couch.

"Not again." Phantom muttered as Jake checked Cassie's pulse. And as soon as he said that, he fell as well...

"Oh crap." I said under my breath, knowing that if Danny passed out, any and all doubles would disappear, and if this was serious enough...

His secret would be found out.

"Danny, get some cold w-" Rachel began before right before every one's eyes the duplicate faded away. "-ater..." She blinked several times before turning to me. "I don't think he does that a lot, does he?"

I shook my head, the only thing on my mind was to protect Danny's secret- if he wanted them all to know, he would have told them. And I wouldn't let them find out because of some dream...

"And I don't suppose Phantom does that often either." Marco stated as two twin rings formed around Danny's waist.

I spoke too soon.


	12. Find Me

Disclaimer: if i owned either, would i be here? no. so no, i do not own either.

will shut up and talk more at end.

CHAPTER 12

DANNY'S POV

I groaned as I sat up. My eyes were still closed, but that didn't matter- my head ached like crazy.

"Note to self, don't try sky diving." I muttered. I opened my eyes as I pulled my hair away from them. I looked at the others.

Tucker was standing in front of me, blocking the others' view of me. Tobias and Cassie were recovering, Jake with Cassie, Rachel with Tobias, and Marco asking Tucker something.

"What happened?" I whispered, sitting up.

"I'm trying to save your ass." Tucker hissed back. "You almost blew your cover!"

I shook my head, trying to clear my head of what could have happened if the rest of them all found out. "That was one strange dream," I tell the others as Tucker steps aside. He blocks their view of me splitting in half and letting the duplicate turn invisible. It appeared in the place it was before, as Fenton. No one seemed to notice that he had disappeared and reappeared. I decided to keep the duplicate silent for now.

"You had it too?" Cassie wondered.

I nodded. "I did."

((The voice sounded like thoughtspeak.)) Tobias said. ((Like a distress signal.))

"From the ocean." Cassie continued.

"An Andalite." I stated.

"OK, wait, back up." Marco said. "The dream was about an Andalite in the ocean that's in trouble?"

((That's pretty much it,)) Tobias replied.

"I'm guessing that my first mission with you guys would be saving the Andalite then." Tucker muttered. "Except I don't think I could help at all..."

"Tucker's right about the mission part." Jake agreed. "Who agrees? Find and rescue the Andalite?"

((You know that I would, but like Tucker, I don't think I can help that much.)) Tobias straightened himself.

"If there's some Andalite calling for help, I'm in." Rachel nodded.

"I can't just ignore someone calling for help," Cassie.

My turn. "I'm in."

"So am I." I had Fenton say.

Everyone turned to Marco. Rachel seemed ready to jump him if he disagreed- then again, when is this new?

Marco just grinned. "I really hate to do this. I really hate to disappoint you all." Then he grew

serious. "But I was there at the construction site, same as all of you. I was there when Visser

Three - " Suddenly his voice choked. "What I mean is, if there's an Andalite who needs any

thing, I'm there."

-later-

"You do realize that if we're down here at the beach because of that news story, some

Controllers are probably down here, too?" Marco asked for about the tenth time.

"Yes, Marco," Jake said patiently. "But maybe Cassie, Danny and Tobias can get some feeling from being down here, closer to the sea."

"So let me get this straight - we are now making decisions based on Tobias, Danny and Cassie's

dreams, right?" Marco said. "And yet my dreams are totally ignored. The fact that I once

dreamed about staying home and watching TV in total safety, that means nothing, right?"

"Right," Jake said flatly.

I was floating a bit above them, as Phantom of course, listening on them. I had told them that Fenton was sorry but he couldn't make this part of the mission- that Jazz was watching him like a hawk- and that he'd try to make it for the next part, the part where we actually dive in and search for the Andalite.

We were at the beach. At night. Looking for any sign of an alien ship. Five humans, a half ghost, and a hawk; four of the humans able to morph, the half ghost as well, the hawk a human stuck as a hawk. Not exactly ordinary...

Right now Marco and Jake were talking about that if you could morph, why would you need a car and all that...

"Why Cassie, Phantom and Tobias?" Rachel wondered out loud. "How come the rest of us can barely hear it?"

"Could it be that since the Andalite has morphing powers, he's sending it out to only people who have morphing powers?" Tucker replied. "The Andalite would want other Andalites to help."

"None of us are even close to being related to an Andalite, Tucker. But the morphing part does make sense," I said.

"It also says why only the three of you can hear it. Cassie's the best morpher, and Tobias is stuck in morph," Marco stated, serious once more.

((And Phantom? He's not either. He's dead.)) Tobias reminded him.

Marco shrugged. "I don't know. Maybe that's why- the dead part."

No one spoke for a while. Then-

((Lights!)) Tobias exclaimed. ((Up ahead on the beach. There's a bunch of people moving in a line with flashlights, like they're searching for something. You can't see them yet because they're hidden by that dune. But they'll be here in a couple of minutes.))

"Who?" Jake demanded.

((Too dark.)) Tobias stated. ((I'm no better than you in the night. But I can still hear. Phantom and I could check it out.))

"All right, let's go." I said as I went invisible and went behind the dunes with Tobias above us. The others hid in the dark.

I wish that I never went with him.

When we got there, we saw a group of people from the Sharing. In the lights, I saw a flash of red, black and teal...

Jazz...

She was in front of some more Controllers, Tom and Chapman included. We heard bits and pieces of Tom and Chapman's talk, but I wasn't completely paying attention. Something about the Visser and him having visions too... My forehead seemed heated up. I'm not sure why though. It seemed like the other times when- oh no.

I HAD to calm myself down before Dan broke free again. I couldn't think of anyway to do so...

The water. If I focused on something else, maybe I could calm down...

((I gotta go Tobias.)) I told him and left before he could tell me anything. I jumpped into the water and swam...

-later-

One thing I was glad of was that I was in ghost mode when I jumpped in. Otherwise, I would have been a goner. Tobias had told me that the others had gotten some more morphs the day I had left including some trout, so they would have been good- except for Tucker since he can't morph. But if I had jumpped in as a human, it probably wouldn't occur to me to go ghost...

I don't know how long I had been under. All I know is that the others probably left already or something. And that I was under for a REALLY long time.

OK, I cooled down a long time ago. I just didn't want to face Jazz right now. I couldn't- not now, at least.

I turned onto my back, staring at would have been the sky if I wasn't underwater. I wondered how far I had swam- I mean, I couldn't even see anything above me except for the fish and other creatures. I wasn't even sure how I'd find my way back, I-

-Third person POV-

Danny groaned as he sat up straight. He saw his b- wait, black?! He was human again! He was going to drown underwater, where his body wouldn't be found for days, and he'd be stuck as a ghost the rest of his l-

It was only after he was far into his rant that he realized that he WASN'T underwater. He was DRY. There was GRASS under him.

"How did I...?" Danny wondered, standing up- or rather, trying to. After falling for the tenth time he stopped trying.

((Don't you dare try to move.)) A thoughtspeak voice ordered. A tailblade placed itself under Danny's chin.

The boy gulped, hoping that it wasn't Visser Three that had him. "Please tell me that you're not Visser Three..."

The Andalite narrowed his eyes and pressed the blade closer to his neck. ((Don't dare speak that name!))

"Please, don't kill me! I'm dead enough already!" Danny gasped. "Listen, I came here to help you! I-I... My friends and I, we heard your calls!"

((Calls? You HEARD MY calls?)) The Andalite wondered, his blade relaxing a bit. ((What are you?))

"I'm-I'm..." Danny began, not sure about what to say. Should he tell the alien he was half ghost and half human or just human? He decided human would have to do for now. "I'm a human. I'm a being on the Earth."

((How could you get my message? It was to my people, not to humans.)) The Andalite told him. He removed his tail completely away from Danny's neck, allowing Danny to breath normally.

Danny shook his head. "I'm not sure how. All I know is that two of my friends heard it too. Them, four others and myself decided to try to find you. I..." He shrugged before he realized that the Andalite might not understand what it meant. "I really don't know, honest."

The Andalite had what seemed like a confused look on his face. ((How do you know of my race?)) He inquired. ((Andalites have not made themselves known to humans.))

"I met one before when he was dying. I don't know who he was, but I'm sure my friends would want to be here before I say anything that could offend them. They might even remember who the Andalite was." Danny stated, knowing he couldn't stay in there alone with the Andalite- he didn't know what the Andalite might do to him.

((How do I know that this isn't a trick and you work for my enemy?)) The Andalite demanded, his blade ready again.

"I'm not! I hate the Yeerks!" Danny snapped, shocking the Andalite. "They took my sister and my best friend! And I'm not sure how, but I'm going to get my revenge." He felt himself heating up. He had to cool down.

((You-you're glowing...)) The Andalite took several steps back, unsure. Never had he seen a human do this.

Danny focused on good times to try to get the mark to stop glowing. "I tend to do that when I get angered or feel hopeless. Sometimes it's a good thing, but other times, it's not, like now..." Danny shook his head. "Let's just stop talking about Yeerks and Andalites for now. It should help. Though how we could stay off the topic of Andalites when you are one is unknown to me." He gave a short laugh.

((Were you not going to bring back your friends?)) The Andalite wondered. ((Or have you changed your mind about leaving?))

"I'm getting my friends, but I'm not leaving either." Danny smiled. He loved the fact that he confused the Andalite with that simple phrase. "I'm going to show you something that only half of my friends know about." He made two duplicates, both of them invisible, then turned one into Phantom and kept the other as Fenton. "Ta-da!" He said as he turned them visible.

((Are those... clones?)) The Andalite inquired, circling them.

"They're duplicates. I'm going to use them to get my friends down here and to cover for myself at the same time. I'm sure that I've been down here for a while," Danny told him. "I can control them without leaving where I am, though I've never tried it so far away."

((You're not a human, are you?)) The Andalite asked, but it seemed to be more of a statement than a question.

"Not exactly," Danny replied. "But can you not say that when my friends arrive? Like I said, only some of them know,"

((I promise I wont,)) The Andalite stated as Danny turned the duplicates invisible and intangible. Danny controlled them so that they flew at the fastest speed they could (one hundred something) and would arrive home soon.

-Jake's house-

Jake, Tucker and Tobias were in the attic of Jake's house, talking about how Tucker could hide.

"I certainly can't stay at Danny's." Tucker stated. "After all, Jazz would know something was up if I appeared without any notice."

((The girls are out- I don't think their parents would approve of sheltering a guy.)) Tobias glared at Tucker as he said this, but Tucker just ignored it.

"That would leave here and M-" Jake began.

A figure crashed into the attic. "Note to self, don't try that again." It muttered.

((Danny?)) Tobias wondered, tilting his head to the side.

Danny- as Phantom- stood up and dusted off invisible debris off of his suit. "Were you expecting someone else?"

"We expected you to be still in the ocean," Jake replied.

"Yeah, yeah." Danny rolled his eyes at him.

Tucker leaned back. "What brought you out of the sea, fish?" He mocked.

Danny sighed. "I found the Andalite."

((You f-)) Tobias began in a monotone voice. Then he realized what Danny had said. ((YOU FOUND THE ANDALITE?!))

"Do I hear an echo?" Danny muttered. "But yeah, I found him. I'm with him now," And before anyone could ask, he answered the question that was in their heads. "Yes, this is a duplicate. There's another in the Fenton Works to cover for me while I'm down there. I can't have Jazz finding out."

Jake leaned back. "How long would it take to get there?"

The Halfa shrugged. "It took me more than an hour to get here, but then again, I was going one hundred something miles per hour, so it might not be the same speed unless you know some underwater animal that they have at the zoo that can go that fast."

"We're going to need to go tomorrow. I don't think any of us can make an excuse for why we're going out so late on Saturday." Jake decided. "Danny, how long can you have your duplicates last?"

"A long time if it doesn't run into anything that could get it hurt or if I pass out," Danny said.

"Then you better not pass out until tomorrow." Tucker laughed as his best friend groaned.

-a-n-

yes i know this is also another short chapter... ^^; i'm trying to make them longer but making them longer makes the update times slower! so what do you guys want?

1. faster but short chapter updates

or 2. longer chapter updates but slower

and no, i know i will have a mob appear sooner or later all yelling longer chapters fast updates, but i can't do it now. last 6 weeks of school, so if you guys all hang on, i'll probably be able to update more often with normal length chapters (at least longer than this 5/6 pages!) then!

and SamManson14, isn't it weird how that the day you review asking for me to update, i was thinking about updating even though the chapter is still shortish (if that's even a word)?


	13. Saved Me

The usual, no own DP or Animorphs, blah blah blee blee 1 2 3...

gonna shut up...

CHAPTER THIRTEEN:

Danny groaned as it reached his tenth hour without sleep. If he wasn't controlling a duplicate, he would be OK, but since he was, this was basically torture. He could barely stay awake, but he had to wait until Jake had told the duplicate that they were going and wait until they entered the dome and the Andalite had knocked them out so Danny can pretend he was also knocked out and stop the clone. And yes, he had asked the Andalite to do so and had told Jake about that part.

((We're almost there. Marco spotted it, so get prepared.)) Jake said in thoughtspeak to the duplicate, and Danny heard it.

"They're almost here." Danny stated as he turned invisible.

((I still do not understand why you must hide from those that you trust.)) The Andalite muttered but followed the plan nonetheless.

Suddenly the hatch opened. The Andalite fired something and a brilliant bright light appeared, knocking everyone but the Andalite himself out.

-later-

Danny hadn't expected becoming unconscious as well when the others entered, but he still woke up before them.

The halfa opened his blue eyes to see the Andalite running nearby, pausing to dip one of its hooves into the lake. He looked on his right and saw Rachel and Marco, on his left Jake and Cassie, as well as Tucker in some weird mask. It looked like something a Scuba diver wore- actually, Danny thought, it probably WAS one. Against will, Danny coughed hard, causing the Andalite to turn his way.

((Are you to ask your friends about the Andalite that was murdered by Visser Three when they wake?)) The Andalite asked as he neared them.

Danny nodded. "I will."

The Andalite stared at the suit Tucker wore. ((What is wrong with that human's skin? Why is there a tube and some containment around his head?))

Laughing, Danny looked at Tucker. "That's not his skin. That would be what we humans call a Scuba suit- humans wear it to go under the water for long amounts of time."

They heard a groan from Tucker as soon as he said that. "Anyone got the number of that truck that ran me over?" He removed the helmet from his head, as well as the tank and tube.

((What is a truck?)) The Andalite inquired.

"Danny you kno-whoa." Tucker began before he saw the Andalite. "You... you're... you're an Andalite!"

Just then the others decided to leave dreamland as well.

"Before we state the obvious, this isn't Visser Three, and he wants to know who the Andalite that the Visser murdered was," Danny quickly filled them in.

Marco rubbed the back of his head. "That's not the visser? Then good." He mumbled.

Cassie answered the question that wouldn't leave the Andalite's mind. "His name is too long for me to remember, but I remember that one part was Elfangor."

((Elfangor? He is the greatest warrior. The Visser could not have killed him!)) The Andalite insisted. His tail dragged on the ground. ((Did... did he die in battle?))

Jake nodded. "He fought the best he could before he died. In the end, he fired all of his remaining weapons."

Danny turned away as he remembered that it was him that fired the weapons, not Elfangor, but he wasn't about to say that.

((He was my brother,)) The Andalite whispered, his stalk eyes dropped.

"I lost a brother too, and Danny lost his sister. They're both Controllers, lost to the Yeerks." Jake told him.

The Andalite raised all of his eyes up again. ((Do you serve the Yeerks or fight against them, humans?))

"We fight them." Danny answered. "We all do."

((With what weapons? Powerful ones?))

"We fight with the one your brother gave us." Rachel stated. "The ability to morph,"

((Elfangor gave you that? It is never done!)) He seemed disturbed. ((The situation would have to be very bad for him to give you morphing capability.))

"The situation is worse than you think," Marco said. "The Yeerks seem to know you're here. Some piece of Andalite wreckage washed up on shore. They are up on the surface right now."

The Andalite seemed uncertain now. ((What was your purpose in coming down here?))

"The obvious," Tucker began.

"We came to rescue you and make sure the Yeerks didn't get you." Cassie finished.

((Is this true?)) He wondered.

"Yes."

He smiled with his eyes, just like Elfangor had done. ((I am sure that after your last morph you all will need some rest.))

"That would be great." Danny stated for the rest of the group. He was exhusted after keeping that duplicate stable for so long.

"What is this place anyway?" Rachel wondered, refering to the dome in general.

((This is the main area of the Dome ship. This is where we live. The war bridge and engines come down from it.)) He replied.

"Like a mushroom or umbrella?" Cassie inquired before realizing that the Andalite didn't know what she was talking about. "Never mind."

((During the great battle in orbit over your planet, the dome was separated from the rest of the ship.))

"Why?" Jake asked.

The Andalite dug at the grass with his fore- hoof. (( I...I was too young for battle, by the laws of our people. Besides, the rest of the ship maneuvers better without the dome.))

"You're a kid? I mean, like a young person?" Marco asked.

((Yes.))

"Are you the only one left? The only Andalite here?" Tucker this time.

((Yes. I am alone. When the Blade ship appeared unexpectedly, they caught us off guard. I saw the main section burn. Dracon beams damaged the orbital stabilization of this dome. It

fell. It splashed into the ocean and sank to the bottom. I have been here for these many weeks, hoping that my cousins would come for me. Hoping that some survived. Finally I

risked sending out a mirrorwave call. It works by . . .)) He stopped, and looked embarrassed. ((l am not supposed to explain Andalite technology. My brother will ... He would have been angry with me.))

"Only you?" Danny whispered, everyone slightly upset. They were hoping that he would be a leader, someone who could help them with the war or take it from them completely.

((Just me.))

"We're young, too," Rachel said. "Too young to fight, according to the laws of our people."

((But still you fight!))

"We feel like we don't have a choice. Look, we don't even know your name. This is Jake, Rachel, Marco, Danny, Tucker. I'm Cassie. There's one more. His name is Tobias." Cassie told him.

((l am Aximili-Esgarrouth-lsthil.))

We all just kind of stared.

"Aximili," Marco said. "Pleased to meet you."

((Who is your prince?)) Aximili asked.

One by one we looked at Jake.

"Oh, give me a break," Jake said. "I am not anyone's prince."

But the Andalite had stepped forward. He bowed his head and lowered his tail. ((I will fight for you, Prince Jake, until I can return to my cousins.))

-a while after-

After Aximili had told them about what they were fighting, they saw a cigar shape stop above them.

"We need to leave, now!" Jake ordered and they all ran to the hatch.

Maybe trying to fit in six humans and an Andalite into a small hatch wasn't the best idea, but it was the only one they had. Tucker stood by the button to open the hatch, having already put back on his mask, while the others morphed. Tucker was terrified when he saw that Aximili was morphing a shark but soon the Yeerks started bombing the place. He pushed the button and soon everyone was done morphing.

(( Oh , good choice, Aximili,)) Marco said. ((You morphed a shark? ))

((Is it wrong?)) the Andalite wondered.

((Your species and ours are mortal enemies,)) Cassie explained.

(( Oh . I have a lot to learn about Earth.))

((Here's the first lesson - let's get OUT OF HERE!)) Marco screamed.

Cassie looked behind her. There were two jagged holes in the dome. Water was gushing in like Niagara Falls. As I watched, a third dark cylinder was falling slowly from the surface. Even she had seen enough sub marine movies to know it was a depth charge.

((What hosts have these Yeerks used?)) Aximili de manded urgently.

((Um . . . Hosts? You mean bodies? Controllers? They use Hork-Bajir and humans,)) I answered.

((Hork-Bajir do not swim,)) Aximili said. ((We may be safe. The Yeerks know little of deep waters. They have no oceans on their world, only shallow pools.))

((Good,)) Jake said. ((All they've had here are Hork-Bajir. And Taxxons, of course.))

((Taxxons?))

((Yes, is that a problem?))

They were near the surface now, just a dozen feet from the bright barrier of sea and sky.

Just then a larger, darker shadow swept over them. A shadow that was dark inside of dark. A shadow that touched your soul. It skimmed just above the surface of the water.

It was shaped like a long battle-Aximili. Twin semi circular blades at the back, a long, diamondheaded point at the front.

The Blade ship of Visser Three.

Something was falling from it as it passed over them. There were a dozen splashes. Tucker rolled over to get a better look.

What he saw made his flesh crawl.

Taxxons. In the water. Coming toward them.

((Those nasty worms can swim?)) Marco yelled.

But the answer was obvious. The Taxxons, ten-foot-long centipedes bristling with dozens of pairs of sharp needle legs, were racing after them. And they were very fast in the water.

Very fast.

((Tell me,)) Aximili said. ((l have the feeling that this body I am in might be able to fight. Is this true?))

Cassie grinned inwardly. ((Yes, Aximili. Sharks can fight.))

((Then, Prince Jake, shall we deal with these Taxxon scum?))

((Don't call me 'prince,')) Jake said. ((And the answer is yes. Let's go kick some Taxxon butt.))

There were about a dozen or so Taxxons in the water. There were seven of the Animorphs, but only six able to fight, since Tucker had no way to fight as a human, but Danny made up for that, learning to make an ectoblast with his tail and firing it at the Taxxons, those who didn't know of his double identity not seeing.

After a while, Jake said, ((Let's get out of here. They've had enough,))

((Not so tough, are they?)) Rachel stated, though sounding shakey herself.

((We can't waste any more time,)) Marco said. ((The plan was to head back for one of those little channel islands, unmorph, rest, and then take the rest of the distance. But even the island is almost two hours away at top speed. We have to make a run for it, or we'll have to choose between being trapped in morph or drowning. And that's not a great choice.))

((You're right, Marco,)) Jake said. ((Top speed for the nearest island.))

((How do you tell the time?)) Aximili asked.

((Sometimes we can carry a watch. Some times, like now, we just have to guess and hope for the best.))

(( Oh . With your permission, I will keep track of the time.))

((You have a watch?))

((No, but I have the ability to keep track of time,)) Aximili said.

((Good enough,)) Marco said. ((How much time left?))

((We have been in morph for approximately thirty percent of the safe time.))

((Thirty percent?)) Danny tried to think. Math was never his best subject. And it's hard to be mathematical when you've just come from a battle and are scared half to death. ((That would be about thirty-six minutes. Which means we have an hour and twenty-four minutes left.))

BAH-LUMPH!

they heard a huge concussion behind me. Like someone had dropped a big truck in the water.

((What was that?)) Marco wondered.

((Something hit the water,)) Cassie said. ((Some thing big.))

WHUMP, WHUMP, WHUMP.

(( Okay , now what is that? )) Rachel asked.

Tucker rose to the surface to breathe and look around. The two surface ships were still closing in, but they were not very fast, and they were not gaining on us. The Blade ship had disappeared.

He scanned the sky in all directions, but he couldn't see it.

"Does anyone see the Blade ship?" Tucker asked. Danny had heard him, and repeated it for the others.

((No. But that doesn't mean it isn't still nearby,)) Jake said. ((lt may have recloaked.))

WHUMP, WHUMP, WHUMP.

((What is that?))

((Whatever it is, it's getting closer,)) Rachel said.

Suddenly Cassie remembered that she was not limited to the usual human senses. She fired off a rapid se ries of echolocating clicks.

The picture that came back was startling.

(( It's something in the water. Big. Huge. The size of a whale, but not moving like a whale.))

Jake, Marco, Danny, and Rachel all echolocated.

(( It's after us, whatever it is,)) Rachel said.

(( It's big, it's fast, and it's after us,)) Marco agreed.

WHUMP, WHUMP, WHUMP.

Cassie rose to breathe again and looked back. At just that moment she saw, far behind me, a huge, dark red, almost purple hump above the water. It seemed to be covered with hundreds of small fish tails, all beating frantically.

She went under. ((Aximili, there's something back there. I don't think it's from Earth.)) She described it to him, at least what she had seen of it.

((Mardrut,)) Aximili said.

((Mardrut? What does that mean?))

((A mardrut is a beast that lives in the oceans of one of our own Andalite moons. To think of that filthy Yeerk scum on our own moon! Acquiring our animals!))

((Aximili, look, what is a mardrut?)) Jake asked him.

((lt is a very large creature that swims by shooting water out of three large chambers. It makes a sound - ))

WHUMP, WHUMP, WHUMP.

((A sound like that?)) Marco asked.

((Yes,)) Aximili said. ((l guess so. I did not recognize it. I have only heard it once, and that was in school, and I wasn't paying attention,))

"An Andalite not paying attention, who would have known?" Tucker had muttered, knowing only about Andalites through Hcari. Only Danny heard him.

WHUMP, WHUMP, WHUMP.

((But this is no true mardrut,)) Aximili said.

((No,)) Jake agreed.

((Then you know who and what is chasing us?)) Aximili seemed surprised. ((You understand that this is Visser Three in morph?))

((We've met before,)) Rachel said tersely.

((You have fought Visser Three? And you still live?)) That definitely surprised the Andalite. ((l honor you.))

((Yeah, swell, thanks,)) Marco said dryly. ((But I'd trade the honor for a good outboard engine so I could outrun that evil creep.))

WHUMP, WHUMP, WHUMP.

The creature Visser Three had become did not tire.

The Animorphs did. Especially Tucker, but for some reason Danny managed to only slow down a bit by himself, so he helped Tucker gain.

It felt like they had been swimming forever. Half an hour into the chase, they was exhausted. They had been powering through the water at panic speed. Fighting every current. Fighting the terrible urge to rest as their tails weakened. Fighting the grow ing hunger.

WHUMP, WHUMP, WHUMP.

The mardrut never tired. It never weakened. It gained on them a foot at a time, bit by bit.

They could see it now. A huge purple-and-red mottled bag that undulated and oozed through the water. It was propelled by the three huge water sacs, firing one after another. Between those loud bursts, the hundreds of tiny tails that covered its entire surface thrashed and kept up momentum.

WHUMP, WHUMP, WHUMP.

Then he spoke. Everyone but Aximili had all heard that silent voice in our heads before. It was like hearing the most terrible curses. It was pure malice and hatred poured directly into our brains. ((l am coming for you, brave Andalite warriors,)) Visser Three sneered. ((l am coming for you.))

They tried to gain more speed.

((l am coming for you. You will be mine. Shall I make you Controllers? Or shall I simply eat you? The time for me to decide draws near. You weaken. Your time runs short.))

WHUMP, WHUMP, WHUMP.

Danny, Jake, Rachel, Cassie and Marco had all been exposed to Visser Three. Aximili had not. He seemed to shudder, even in his shark body. The dead shark eyes showed no emotion, but his swimming became erratic.

((Aximili,)) Cassie said to him. He did not answer. ((Aximili, we have heard his voice before. We've heard his threats. And we are still alive.))

((He will kill us,)) Aximili said. ((He will kill us! He killed Elfangor!))

((Aximili, hang in there. Don't answer him. Don't think about him. Just swim!))

But Aximili's fear was catching. He was right. They didn't have enough time to make it to land without being trapped in their dolphin bodies. And they would never escape him, anyway. They

glanced back.

He was only five body lengths away!

They demanded still more from my burning muscles, but there was nothing more to ask.

"Oh bull..." Tucker whispered.

Danny and Cassie heard something- almost like a whale's song... Danny and Cassie knew that the other had heard it too, but since Danny was busy supporting Tucker, Cassie was the one who let her human consciousness slip. She cried out in echolocation for help from the whale. Rediculous, but it was their last hope.

((We have used eighty percent of our time,)) Aximili managed to say.

((Twenty-four minutes left,)) Marco gasped.

((lt doesn't matter. I'm done for,)) Rachel admitted. ((l can't keep going. And he's too close. It's time to turn and fight.))

WHUMP, WHUMP, WHUMP.

((We cannot possibly win,)) Aximili said. ((He'll eat us one by one.))

((We know,)) Jake said. ((But if I have to lose, I'd rather lose fighting than let him catch us one by one.))

((That is a very Andalite thing to say,)) Aximili said. ((We have a lot in common. I wish it had ended differently.))

((On the count of three,)) Jake said.

((One.))

((Two.))

((Let's go.))

We stopped. We turned to face the mardrut.

WHUMP, WHUMP, WHUMP.

The red-and-purple behemoth rushed at us.

They shook with terror. But they were too tired to swim away.

Help me! Cassie cried one last time. But she knew there was no one to help.

((I' ve made up my mind what to do with you,)) Visser Three said. ((After this long chase I am really quite hungry.))

He rushed at them.

They rushed at him.

Something dark came hurtling up from the ocean floor.

Something dark and long and bigger even than the mardrut.

FWOOOMP!

Visser Three shuddered and stopped dead in the water.

A second dark shape, as fast as the first.

FWOOOMP!

((The great ones,)) Cassie whispered.

(( It's the whales!)) Marco yelled.

There were five of them in the water.

The two big males who had struck first had heads like sledgehammers. Sperm whales. Sixty feet long. Sixty-five tons. The weight of fifty cars. They had dived deep and come tearing up at awesome velocity to slam into the creature from another world's ocean.

The mardrut was big. The mardrut was strong. But nothing living can survive for long, being slammed by creatures weighing a hundred and thirty thousand pounds.

Then, the humpback began to lash the mardrut with his tail. Hammer blows. Hits that could have knocked walls down. Again and again, as two smaller females joined in and the two sperm whales circled back for another attack.

((Rrraaaggghhhh!)) Visser Three's cry of pain and fury echoed in my brain.

((He's retreating!)) Jake crowed.

((He's running!)) Rachel said. ((Hah-hah!))

((I don't think Visser Three likes whales very much,)) Marco yelled. ((I don't think he likes them at all!))

The whales chased him for a while, but they let him go in the end.

((Morph time is almost up,)) Aximili said.

((l think if we morph, the whale will carry us until we are ready to morph again,)) Danny said.

They morphed back to their human bodies, Aximili to his Andalite one, and they crawled up on the whale's huge back.

-later-

Cassie woke up still on the whale's back, and saw Jake sitting next to her. She couldn't find Danny- she saw everyone else but him. "Where's Danny?"

Jake smirked and jerked his thumb to a dolphin that was swimming on the left of the whale. "Didn't want to stay in one place." He explained.

They were silent for a while.

"Some day, huh?" Jake wondered, breaking the silence.

Cassie smiled. "Yeah."

"We did it. We saved the Andalite. And we got out alive."

"Barely," Cassie corrected.

"You know something? You were right. You trusted your feelings and we followed you and we're all safe."

Cassie nodded. "Yes, I guess so. Only ... as Marco would say, let's not do this again any time soon, okay?"

Jake smiled his slow smile. "It's fun being a dolphin, though, isn't it? I know you were worried about it. You know, thinking maybe it wasn't right and all."

Cassie shook my head slowly. "I'm still not sure it's right. But I guess we don't have much of a choice. The Yeerks started this fight, not us. And after what Aximili said ... I guess it's not just about one species, human beings. It's about all the animals. It's about all of Earth."

Jake nodded. "I think if you could ask the dolphins, they would say it's all right to use them. Since what you're trying to do is save them."

"Nah, they would just think it was all a big game. They would never understand."

They both laughed. Even if they could talk, the dolphins would never really understand what they were so upset about. They knew that better than anyone.

"I guess that's true," Jake said. "But we do understand." He met my gaze. "We do understand what's at stake. And we'll do whatever we have to do to win."

Cassie knew what he was trying to tell me. They'd used the dolphins to save them. They'd used other animals to save them, too. And that made it okay.

((Hey,)) Danny's voice interrupted them.

"What is it, Danny?" Cassie replied.

((Can you guys stop with the mushy love stuff?)) He asked them.

"Oh, like you're never like this with Sam." Jake countered, sending all three of them laughing.

-later again-Cassie POV

W e morphed once more into our dolphin bodies and swam down the river to the place where we had entered the water. We beached ourselves in shallow water and returned to our human

bodies.

"It feels good to be human again," Jake said.

Marco said, "Oh, Jake, you were never exactly human to begin with."

I guess it was funny, but we were all too tired to laugh.

We dug our clothes and shoes out of their hid ing place. I pulled jeans and a sweatshirt on over my wet morphing suit. I shoved muddy feet into my boots.

((Strange,)) Ax said, watching us very closely. ((What is the meaning of the things you place on your bodies?))

"It's clothing," Rachel explained.

((Why do you wear it? Does it protect you from the environment?))

"Yes. That, plus the fact that people get very upset if you walk around naked," Marco answered.

There was a fluttering overhead. One of the shadowed branches dipped with a sudden weight.

"Is that you, Tobias?" I asked.

((Yes. You . . . you found an Andalite!))

"Yes. Tobias, meet Ax. That's his nickname, anyway. Ax, meet Tobias. Tobias is one of us."

((Sort of, anyway,)) Tobias said dryly. ((l liked this morph so much I moved in permanently.))

The Andalite was shocked. ((You were trapped?))

((Yes.))

Ax turned his eyes on me, then looked from each one of us to the next. He seemed very solemn. ((You have paid a price for the gift of my brother, Elfangor.))

((Prince Elfangor was your brother?)) Tobias demanded. His hawk's eyes glittered. ((l was with him at the end.))

"This is all fine," Jake interrupted, "but we have to get out of here. And we have to decide what to do with Aximili. He can't exactly just go walk ing through town with us."

"I think he should come to my farm," I said. "It's not so different from the dome ship. Fields, meadows, woods, all the way into the national forest land. He'd have to be careful, but it's the

only place we have to hide him."

"That still doesn't deal with how we're going to get him there," Marco pointed out. "It's a long walk. People are gonna notice a big blue deer with extra eyes and a scorpion tail."

((I must morph,)) Ax said.

"Yeah, but into what?" Rachel wondered.

Then, to my surprise, Ax walked over to me. He placed one delicate, many-fingered hand on my face.

((With your permission)) he said.

I felt myself getting spacey. Not sleepy, exactly, but sort of like I was in a trance.

I realized what he was doing. He was "acquiring" me. He was absorbing my DNA.

"Urn . . . excuse me, but you're going to morph Cassie?" Marco asked. "Can you do that?"

Ax went to Marco and touched his face. One by one, Aximili acquired each of us.

And then he began to morph.

I've seen a lot of strange morphings. But nothing was ever like this. Ax wasn't becoming an animal. He was becoming a human being.

But a human being we all knew, in some ways. A melding of the four human Animorphs.

His front legs began to shrivel away. His back legs thickened and strengthened. Suddenly a mouth appeared in his Andalite face. The scorpion tail shrank and disappeared. He reared up and stood erect.

"Urn, you know, I think we better give Aximili some privacy," I suggested.

"Is he going to be a boy or a girl?" Marco wondered.

"Either way, let's turn our heads," I said.

We did. Probably just in time.

"Hey, Ax? In the pile of clothes there is an extra pair of boxers and a T-shirt," Jake said. "Put them on, okay?"

A few minutes later we turned around. We all stared.

Ax had the T-shirt pulled up like a baggy pair of shorts. The boxers were on his head.

" O -o-o-o-kay," Jake said. "A few small adjust ments needed. Aximili, are you male or female?"

"I chose to be-be-be-be-be male." He stopped suddenly, eyes wide. He was surprised by his mouth. It was not something Andalites understood. "I chose male because I am male. Word. Male. Is that a good choice? Ch-oy-ce? Chuh chuh choy-yuss?" He twisted his lips around and stuck out his tongue. "Strange," he said.

"Male is fine," Jake said. "Rachel? Cassie? Turn around. Marco and I will help Aximili adjust his clothing."

When I looked again, Ax was dressed normally.

But he did not look normal. He was right in the middle between Rachel' and Marco's height, the perfect balance. He was sort of medium built, but leaning a bit more to the thinner frames Marco, Danny and Tucker had. His hair was mainly brown, with some of Rachel's gold, a bit of mine and Tucker's curl (A/N: even though it's hard to see his hair, i say it is basically curly so there), and had acquired the same messyness of Danny's, but not in the same exact style. He looked slightly tanned, the result of the mixing of mine and Tucker's dark brown, Marco's olive, and Jake, Rachel, and Danny's pale colors.

He was human and yet, somehow, strange.

He jerked his head this way and that. "How do you look? Lookuh. LooKUH. KUH. How do you look around? Ound. Ow, ow, ownd behind?"

I grinned. It was exactly like every time I first morphed a new animal. He was getting used to his new body. Or at least trying to. As I watched him play with his lips and try out new

sounds, he suddenly tumbled forward.

Danny grabbed him and held him.

"You only have two legs now, Ax," he said.

"Yes. Two. Oo. Very shaky."

"Yeah, we're a shaky species," Tucker said.

"Well, let's get out of here," Jake said.

"Ax?" I said. "Don't talk to any strangers on the way home, okay?"That sent everyone but Ax laughing, and Ax confused.

-blah-

not that much to say... except that i'm updating a bit faster, then again, this was basically what the book said... oh well...

btw, i'm skipping some books. that means the next chapter isn't directly after this or in book 5... which book it's in, you'll have to wait and see! :D


	14. Missing and Returned

I don't own Animorphs or DP. there.

see you at the bottom!

CHAPTER 14- a few months later

8:30 pm

I had to lay low for a while. The news were starting to find out that Danny Phantom was in this area and the few times I actually went out as him, I got ambushed by reporters. And since I had almost changed from Phantom to Fenton in front of Rachel and Marco, they were slowly suspecting that we were the same. Cassie never saw it happen, so she wouldn't know for a while.

It wasn't that much that happened since finding Ax- well, nothing that I consider really big since then. Meeting the Ellimist, finding out Marco's mom is a Controller, Jake becoming a Controller for a while, meeting Eric and finding out that he's a robot called the Chee, et cetera. And then finding out that Eric knew I was leading two lives... At least then, he could have a Chee cover for me from Jazz when I'm using Fenton and/or Phantom (a duplicate) for a mission, like he did for the others so that I can focus on the mission instead of both mission and Jazz.

((Finally, a day without anything going on. No Yeerks, no ghosts, no missions, nothing.)) I said to myself as I flew as a Harrier above Tucker who was on the roads on a scooter.

"You know you have horrible luck, Danny." Tucker stated. I guess I wasn't talking to myself after all. "As soon as you say that, we'll end up having a mission or ghosts appear out of no where."

I would have rolled my eyes if I was human. ((Speaking of ghost activity,)) I replied. ((Have you seen any lately?))

Tucker thought a while as we turned right. "Not that I know of. So far, since finding Ax, I've barely seen any."

((That's unusual.)) I stated. ((Normally they would appear at least one a week. I would have expected for the Box Ghost now. He gets in and out of the Ghost Zone so much, that he's hear at least an hour each day.)) I paused, gaining a bit more altitude. ((Actually, I haven't seen him since I moved here...))

"Hey TJ, nice ride!" Some random dude called out to Tucker as we passed by him.

You see, once we had found Ax, he had helped us with the "hiding-Tucker-so-that-no-one-knows-he's-alive" part. So now he was Turner Jackson, known asTJ . He was living with the Chee as Eric's friend who's parents died and was staying with them. So I had to be careful when I was talking to Tucker as Fenton at school, I had to remember to call himTJ instead of Tucker or Tuck like I normally did.

((So, Tucker, what do you think about the Animorph life?)) I asked, doing a spin in the air.

"Show off," Tucker muttered under his breath but we both knew I heard him. "Well, pretty hectic. And I'd like it if I could morph..."

((Just don't say "wish.")) I warned, fearing that Desiree could be around and I didn't know.

Tucker rolled his eyes. "Duh, I know not to say that."

((Just making sure.)) I did another spin before flying normally. ((It's pretty late.)) I said, reading the time off of Tucker's watch. It was 8:50 pm. ((Time to hit the sack?))

He glanced at the time then nodded. "Yeah, see you in the morning." He turned to Eric's house and I turned to my own. A Chee was in my place so I didn't really go that fast. The Chee had told me that I could come back at any time- he'd still be there.

I was just demorphing on my roof when I saw it- a blast, an explosion. Jake, Ax and the others falling out of a ship as it crashed. Flashes of green. A monkey, a jaguar, snakes, several other animals. Ax saying something about him not paying attention in class because of a game after school and a girl...

8:53 59 seconds.

That was the last thing I thought of before I passed out.

-later, aka 1:22 again-

I woke up in a tree branch...

With a MONKEY staring at me.

"AH!" I yelped and fell off of the branch and luckily grabbed another one before I could hit the ground that seemed so far down below. I pulled myself up, getting my bare hands and feet covered with blisters. I had stopped using the Fenton suits as my morphing suit and went with a normal biking outfit- it's a lot easier to hide under clothes than the Fenton suits. I sighed as Islumped back against the bark. It wasn't comfortable, my hair getting tangled in the bark, the bark cutting the back of my shirt, blisters appearing on my bare skin... Then I realized something.

"What the-?" I began when it hit me that I wasn't on the roof of my house. "Where am I?" I wondered as I stared down at the ground below and all of the greens and browns. I glanced at the monkey that was laughing it's head off (at least, I think it was laughing) at me. I smirked and leaped after it, using my ghost powers slightly in order to get it. I couldn't think of a morph that I had that could fit here, so I was going to acquire the monkey. It took a while, but I finally caught up with it, the fact that I could fly through items helping me and that once I became Phantom (while flying) I didn't tire. But the monkey sure did. It finally stopped to rest and it turned around as if it wanted me to scratch it. I laughed and did so, acquiring it as I did so.

I rested for a while before I actually morphed it. I didn't pay attention to how I morphed, all I know is that once I did, I started climbing and swinging and using my ghost powers to fly. When I was tired and wanted to go back, I jumped into a clearing and demorphed...

Then turned around to see guys around me with spears.

"Am I in trouble..." I muttered and tried to show that I was here in peace. I tried using thoughtspeak since Ax told me that it will always sound like it's in the tongue of the person you're directing it to, though it would be hard to find out what they were saying back to me. ((I don't want to harm you,)) I said.

"Fantasma macaco." A man replied as he stood up. He was thirty, I think- for all I know, he could have been eighty. He wasn't wearing much, so that wasn't exactlypleasant... I kept my eyes at his face, though. I'm not gross.

((I don't understand what you are saying.)) I answered, wondering what language it could be. If I knew, I would know where I was.

The man repeated the phrase, pointed at me, and did a good imitation of a monkey. It seemed like he was saying that I was a ghost monkey, I realized when I saw that I was still Phantom. I think he saw me demorph.

"Yes, fantasma macaco," I stated, trying to see if they would help me.

"Diabo?" The man wondered, again pointing at me. When he saw that I was, again, confused, he drew a picture of a Hork-Bajir and said "diabo" again. He then pointed at me. "és um diabo?"

"Me?" I repeated. I shook my head. "No, not diabo." I don't know what it meant, but I certainly knew I wasn't a Hork. To show that I didn't like the Horks, I erased it with my foot.

The man smiled and agreed, erasing the rest of the picture with his own foot. "Polo." He said as he pointed to himself. He pointed to me and said, "Nome?"

It was close to name, so I guessed that was what he was talking about. "Danny." We shook hands, saying that we were in peace with each other.

-later-

I was following Polo and the other males around in the forest, surprising them when I went invisible at random times, through trees and branches, or using my ghost ray to light up the darker parts of the forest. I still didn't know where I was, well, I knew I was in a forest, but otherwise, nothing. I wondered if the others were at home or if they were here too.

FLASH!

"TJ, what's up man?" I was saying as I passed Tucker in the hallways.

"Nothing much Danny." Tucker replied closing his locker and joining me to our next class. "I did see Tobias outside of the class I have with Cassie though."

"You don't think we have another mission, do you?" I groaned.

"Nah man. If we did, wouldn't Tobias or Cassie or one of the others have told us by now?" Tucker assured me.

"True. I guess we're free for a patrol and some video games this afternoon," I said.

FLASH!

"What the heck?" I muttered to myself as I walked through the tree that I was about to hit.

"Matar diabos." Polo yelled at us when he saw something up ahead. "Matar diabos!"

I didn't know what Polo was saying, but when I saw the rest getting ready to fight, I figured that there were some Hork-Bajir up a head and that we were going to fight them. Fine with me.

When I caught up with them at the clearing, that's when I found out that it wasn't Hork-Bajir they were talking about.

They were talking about Ax.

-insert commercial of choice here-

((Ax, duck and cover!)) I yelled at him in thought speak seeing that they were already taking aim at him.

Ax looked around wildly, trying to find a way out, which was impossible since Polo and his tribe had surrounded him. ((There's no place to run!)) Ax told me, trying to protect himself and whatever it was that he was holding.

I hoped that it wasn't too late to tell Polo to call off the attack. ((Polo, he's not the enemy! He's my friend!)) I shouted in thoughtspeak to him.

"Não ataque!" Polo ordered and the rest of the tribe put down their weapons. I sighed in relief and stepped out to talk to Ax.

"What happened? How did we get here?" I asked him, desperate for an answer that I could understand.

((A Sario Rip. We have until 8:49 pm to get back or else we will cease to exist.)) Ax briefly explained. ((We need to get back to the others. I fear they suspect that I have died.)) He glanced at Polo. ((Are you sure they wont harm us?))

I nodded. "I'm sure. They agreed not to harm me when I showed that I didn't like the Hork-Bajir so I'm sure they won't harm those that I trust." I glanced at Ax's closed right hand. "What are you holding?"

((The computer to use the Bug Fighter or Blade Ship.)) Ax answered. ((Do you have a morph suitable for this enviroment?))

"Yeah, a 's how I met them- they saw me demorphing." I replied. "What about you? We can't have you staying like that,"

((I have acquired a mokey as well,)) Ax said. ((Should we go find the others now?))

"Yeah, just let me tell Polo that." I turned to Polo. ((We're going to find our friends. If you want you could help, but you don't have to.))

"Iremos ter armas para caçar monstros." Polo responded.

((He said that they will get weapons to hunt the monsters.)) Ax translated for me. I nodded then Polo and his tribe left.

-later-

I don't know what happened. I don't know how I got here. I don't know where I was. I don't know who I was with. I don't know if the jaguars I was running with were even real. I didn't even know if I was real. At least, I think I didn't.

Taxxons up ahead surrounding the Blade Ship and Bug Fighter. A few Hork-Bajir. In the Blade Ship was Visser Three.

Visser Three... that murderer... that monster...

Then the vines around me moved.

((It's a trap! RUN!)) I yelled as I tried to escape the vines.

The others were quickly grabbed. Four jaguars and a hawk. I thought I was alone until I saw another jaguar.

((JAKE!)) I shouted dodging the vines. ((Hork-Bajir!)) As soon as I said that they surrounded us. Two jaguars against who knows how many Hork-Bajir and Visser Three in morph. Any of the vines and branches around us could be part of the Visser's morph. Any of the shadows around us could be another Hork-Bajir or alien waiting to attack us.

Surrounded. No way out. We weren't going to make it.

FLIT!

((What the?)) I heard Jake wonder as a spear suddenly appeared in the back of a Hork-Bajir's head.

FLIT! FLIT! FLIT!

Spears were flying everywhere and landing in the Hork-Bajir. Polo had appeared throwing another spear but the Visser stopped it.

Next thing I remembered was swinging on the vines of the Visser's morph. I saw Jake doing the same.

Jake caught a spear with his tail. I had felt something in my own tail, but I was sure that I didn't catch anything and that Polo only threw one spear. Jake threw the spear at the Visser and it made it's target, unleashing the poisons into him.

I don't know what was going on. I only knew that a vine was reaching up to Jake's neck, choking him, and the same was happening to me, though there was no vine around my neck. It felt like I was going through what Jake was. I knew it was impossible. It couldn't be right. I was my own person- right? This couldn't be happening...

-8:54pm-

I felt like I was choking. I put my hands to my neck to see if I had anything around it.

Nothing.

"Marco's right- we're all going to end up in the loony bin." I muttered as I phased into my room, letting the Chee go back to his own home.

All I remembered of that mission was that I had a strange urge to swing on some monkey bars...

-the next morning-

I didn't feel the same when I woke up the next morning. I felt like I had even more weight on my shoulders- which was already enough since I had to take care of the ghosts, then the Yeerks, and now some more pressure from out of the blue.

"Something's not right," I whispered when I got out of bed. Something was bothering me- something I was supposed to remember... I glanced at the calendar on my wall. It was Saturday. Nothing was written under Saturday that I needed to do for today. If I had something I needed to do, I would have written it there...

I walked downstairs and into the kitchen. I grabbed a cup of milk and sipped it, staring out of the window above the sink.

"Everything looks normal," I muttered, looking at the people as they passed by. I saw Tucker talking with Marco and Jake about who could win if they played Doom together. I saw Rachel literally dragging Cassie somewhere- probably the mall.

CRASH!

I turned around sharply, ready to go ghost. I saw the broken mug of coffee on the ground, the coffee still steaming. I saw the black boots on the ground, and the black gloves shaking uncontrolably. I saw the violet eyes and red hair. I saw the blue hazmat suit.

Who I was seeing was my mom.

-insert commercial of choice-

"Mom?" I heard Jazz's voice say.

"Maddie, what happened?" A male's voice asked.

Mom and I just stood there, staring at each other, as if we couldn't believe that the other was here. After all, wasn't it a few months ago when Mom, Dad and Jazz all disappeared because of Crayak?

Dad and Jazz entered the kitchen, wondering why Mom dropped her mug. Then they saw me.

"Danny? Is that really you?" Jazz whispered.

I nodded slowly. I still couldn't believe that Mom and Dad were back. Were they in the Sharing? Did they join the Yeerks? Please don't be Controllers! I thought, I already had Jazz a Controller, I didn't want to lose the rest of my family to them too.

Dad ran over and hugged me tightly. "You don't know how much we missed you, son!" He stated. He let go so Mom could hug me.

"Don't you ever do that to us again, you got it?" She chatised me through small sobs.

"I don't understand," I said when she let me go. "What happened? When did you guys come back?"

Jazz answered for Mom and Dad. "They came back a week after- after..." She gulped. "After you disappeared, Danny."

"You've been missing for three months."

-

OMG can you believe I did that?! well, see you at the top of the next chapter! :D


	15. Blood is Thicker

I don't own Animorphs or DP. otherwise, I don't have any comment on this chapter what-so-ever except that I've been planning what will happen at the end for a really long time. :D and review please!

CHAPTER 15-

I almost dropped my own cup. How could I have been missing for three months?!

"What's... what's the date?" I whispered. It had been Janurary when I had talked to Tucker and had felt like I was choking.

"May 25th." Jazz answered.

I shook my head. "This... this can't be true... This has to be a dream!"

"It's ok son," Dad patted me on the back.

I had to ask. I had to know that there was something left to keep hope in me, to keep Dan at bay. "Are... did..." I began, not sure how to ask.

"Yes sweetie?" Mom wondered, all of us sitting around our dinning table.

"Are you guys in the Sharing?" I whispered. If they said they were...

Dad scratched his head. "'The Sharing'? What's that?"

"It's the club that Jazz quit when we came back honey," Mom told Dad. "The one that Jazz told us to stay away from?"

I stared at Jazz in confusion. She shuddered when I had said the Sharing. "You quit the Sharing?" I asked.

Jazz nodded. "I'd rather not talk about it..." She said. Her eyes were saying "if I did, you'd think I was crazy".

'I would have believed you.' I thought.

"Do you want to go out and talk to your friends, Danny?" Mom asked.

I nodded. "I think I should. Catch up on what I've missed at school." Mom nodded and I left, just in time to run into someone, just like when I first moved here. "Sorry man I-" I began.

"Danny?" The guy wondered.

I raised an eyebrow. "Do I know you?" I didn't think I could remember someone with dirty blond hair and brown eyes... "Wait, Tobias?!"

Tobias nodded as we got up. "Yep."

"How did you- when- what- HOW?!" I stuttered. "Are you really human or...?"

"It's just a morph. And to answer all of the unfinished questions, Ellimist gave the morphing gift back to me, and about a couple weeks after you went missing," Tobias explained.

"The Ellimist? He... he GAVE you the power back to you?" I replied as we started walking somewhere.

Tobias nodded again. "Yep."

"What's been going on lately?" I asked, realizing that we were heading towards the general area of Cassie's.

"You came back just in time." Tobias said.

"Just in time for what?" I wondered, raising an eyebrow.

My best friend stopped and turned to face me. "A woman named Aria wants to see us tomorrow."

-insert another commercial/later-

When we arrived at the barn, there were gasps of surprise from everyone, followed by everyone asking generally "is that really you Danny" and Marco punching me to "make sure that I wasn't a Chee".

A few minutes later, I was sitting on a bale of hay and Tobias was back in the rafters. "What did I miss during the unknown three months that I've been gone?" I asked them, rubbing my arm. Marco had hit me pretty hard...

"I had what you could call an allergic reaction to some croc DNA so that I kept on morphing whenever I was emotional," Rachel began.

((I got the morphing power back,)) Tobias continued.

"We found out what was so secret about Zone 91- an alien toilet," Cassie.

"Got turned into shark robots," Marco.

"Met Visser Three's twin." Jake.

"Yeerks go insane when they eat oatmeal," Rachel.

((We ran into my people when our matter got hit in Z-space,)) Ax said with a slightly sad tone.

"I almost left the Animorphs for good, and found out that there are some Yeerks that aren't evil," Cassie stated with regret.

(("And David.")) They all said with anger. I decided to ask Tucker or Tobias later in private about who this David was.

"Then we're up to now," Tucker finished. "Finally managing to save a young Hork-Bajir, and waiting for you and Tobias to find out what this Aria person wants from you two."

I groaned as I leaned back against the wall. "Well, that's a lot I missed. I don't even want to know what I missed at school, so don't start telling me the piles of homework and school work I missed."

((Then you're going to be mad at Tucker.)) Tobias told me in private Thoughtspeak.

Lucky for me, Tucker was sitting at the most two yards away from me. I smirked and made a duplicate (invisible of course). I used the duplicate to shock Tucker before "destroying" it.

Tucker bolted straight up at least three inches but no one else seemed to be paying attention except Tobias and me. He sent a cold glare at me.

((That's for bringing home my homework for the past three months. It'll take me forever to finish all of that work!)) I stated.

Somehow, Jake seemed to notice that Tucker was in a hard spot right now. "Danny, do you know where you've been for the past three months?"

Snapping my attention away from Tucker and the piles of homework that I had waiting for me, I shook my head. "Not at all." I thought a moment. "Do you think Yeerks could have a memory swipe thing?"

Ax answered for me. ((I do not think they have learned how to do so yet. If they did, they would have done it to my fellow Andalites so we wouldn't remember that we were in war with them.))

"Sorry I'm late guys!" A female voice apologized from the other side of the door that lead to the main house. The knob started to turn. "My brother just came ba-" The door opened...

"Jazz." I breathed.

"-ck..." She finished and stared at me then at the others. "You guys let Danny see Ax?! What if he was a Controller?!" She was about to ramble on about why they shouldn't have let me in.

"Jazz it's OK!" Cassie told her. "Danny's not a Controller."

Jazz stared at me again. "How do you know? He's been missing for three months- who knows what could have happened? He could have joined since then!"

((If he was a Controller, then why haven't we been turned into the Yeerks?)) Ax stated.

"And also," I began. "How could I join the Sharing if I knew all about the war and I was there when Elfangor died?"

Jazz seemed surprised. "You've... you... you knew?" She whispered. I nodded. "So... you were there when the so called Andalite Bandits first attacked?"

"I was one of the tigers." I answered. "How... how did you break free?"

"She didn't." Rachel replied. I stared at her in confusion, hoping that I didn't just walk into a trap and that they were all Controllers.

"Hcari," I heard Marco say seriously. "Would you mind getting our little friend a Yeerk?"

Tucker nodded and headed towards the sink.

"Hsor," Cassie chatised. "You know that only the Visser can give us our orders!"

"I am sorry Visser." Marco bowed his head at Ax. "Please remove my sorry escuse of a life form."

((I would,)) Marco tensed. ((If you were not in the body of a morph capable human.)) Marco relaxed. ((Inos,)) Jake looked at Ax. ((Inniss,)) Jazz did the same. ((Anosi,)) Rachel. ((Aiora,)) Cassie. ((Hold Daniel down for Hcari to place the Yeerk into his new host.)) Ax sent a look at Marco. ((Hsor, get the EPS.)) Marco nodded and went to get what looked like a needle.

"Oh crap." I whispered. Jake, Jazz, Rachel and Cassie all grabbed me. I tried to phase out, but then Marco jabbed the needle into me. Before I could figure out what was in there, if there was something in there, he had pumped it into my system. Tucker came back, holding something in his hands.

"Hcari!" I shouted. "Help me for goodness sake!"

Tucker shook his head. "I fear you have mistaken me for Hcari One-Zero-Seven. Remember that old fool died?"

Something red was wrapped around my eyes. "Can't let you see what exactly we're doing, now can we?" Tobias' voice mocked.

I was expecting the worst...

But all Tucker did was soak me with water.

I gagged-well, not actual gag as in puke-, spitting up water. The others stopped holding me and started laughing their heads off, even Ax. "What the heck?!" I ripped off the red cloth- a hankerchief.

"I knew he would fall for it!" Marco exclaimed in between fits of laughter.

"What was that for?!" I snapped, wiping my face dry, glad that that was the only part of me that got wet- well, besides my hair.

"Nothing." Jazz answered. "Marco said that if you ever came back, that he'd want to get pay back for the trick that you, Jake and Tucker did to him when Tucker first came here."

I glared at Marco. "Speaking of when Tucker, do Mom and Dad know?"

"Not that I know of." Tucker said for himself.

"It's getting late," Jake stated. "We should be going home now. Besides, tomorrow's Sunday. Tobias and Danny will be meeting up with Aria and DeGroot."

Everyone agreed.

"There's still some daylight left," Jazz was saying as we- we being Tucker, Jazz and me- were exiting the barn. "Want to fly home?"

"Sure," Tucker replied.

"Wait," I said, staring at them in confusion. "You guys can morph?"

Tucker slapped his head. "Right..." He muttered. "Well, during the time that there was David, we had made him into an Animorph and gave him the morphing power since we had found the blue box. Jazz and I got the power then too."

"In other words, yeah, we can morph." Jazz stated.

I smirked. "Well then," I said while removing my outer clothing to reveal my morphing suit. "Let's see if you two can beat me at flying!" I quickly morphed into my harrier and waited for Tucker and Jazz to finish. Tucker had morphed a Harris' Hawk- a bird of prey with dark brown plumage with chestnut shoulders, wing linings, and thighs, white on the base a tip of the tail, long, yellow legs and a yellow cere. Jazz had chosen a mainly dark brown bird, I think a Zone-tailed hawk. Before I had morphed, I had made a duplicate to take care of the clothes.

I opened my wings wide. ((Catch me if you can!)) I yelled and took off.

((No fair!)) Jazz replied as she and Tucker took off as well.

((Yeah you started before us!)) Tucker complained.

I laughed. ((So what?)) I was just glad that I was back and there was some fun right now instead of a mission.

-the next day-

I was nervous when I saw Tobias waiting for me outside of my room. He was in the tree outside of my window. I groaned when I realized that we were going to talk to the Aria woman today.

So much for a nice return...

I changed and left telling Mom and Dad that I was going to go to a friend's house to find out what I missed at school. Jazz had left already to help the others fix up the mess they did during the last mission. Tobias was waiting outside above me circling around.

((The lawyer's office,)) Tobias told me. ((Meet you there.)) He then left.

Some minutes later, I was outside the building and Tobias was just turning the corner to meet up with me. "Are you ready?" He asked, his face still pretty much emotionless.

"Do you really think so?" I replied.

A faint hint of a smile appeared on my friend's face. "We're going to have to be pretty emotionless the entire time- we don't want to hint that we know that Aria is the Visser."

I was surprised. "You never said that," I hissed.

"My bad." Tobias smirked. "But still, don't let any hint slip." I nodded and we entered.

The Aria woman/morph greeted us. "You must be Tobias and Danny," She smiled.

We gave the slightest of nods. Tobias had told me yesterday that he was supposed to be the role of a street kid to excuse the fact of the hardness of his face and his cold glare. He had also told me that I'm just going to be me, just less emotion.

Aria came close and gave Tobias a hug. He stiffened and tried to break away. She said something but I couldn't hear. I was just glad that the man, DeGroot I think, came out before Aria/Visser Three could hug me.

DeGroot came over and shook my hand then Tobias'. "Come in, come in," He said and led us into his office. "We are here today to carry out the reading of an important document left for Tobias and Daniel by their father. By ... by a man different than the men you believed to be your fathers."

Tobias rolled his eyes. "Whatever."

"I have a father, thank you very much," I muttered.

Aria seemed confused as she leaned in closer. "Aren't you two curious about who your real father is?"

"Did he leave any money?" Tobias asked.

DeGroot raised his eyebrows at the question. "No."

"Figures," Tobias mumbled as he leaned back in his chair.

"And as far as I'm concerned, no relationship what-so-ever." I said.

DeGroot tapped the pages to straighten them. "Then we'll just go straight to reading the document. If that's -"

Some little bit of Visser Three showed through then. "Read it," he/she snapped. Then, forcing a smile, said, "I'm anxious to hear what this is all about."

I was glad that in the three months I seemed to have been missing, the only expression I could pull up was shock and surprise.

It saved my life just like being a hawk for so long saved Tobias' life.

"Dear Tobias and Dan..." DeGroot paused to pull out some reading glasses out of a drawer before continuing, seeming confused. "Dear Tobias and Derek,"

Derek? My name was Derek? I wondered, confused but no emotioned pulled up on my face or body.

"I am your father. You never knew me. And I never knew you. I do not know what your life has been over these many years. I hope that your mother found someone else to love. I know that all memory of me has been erased from her mind. All evidence of my time on Earth has been erased.

"I am being given this opportunity to communicate with you by the very creature who has erased my life on Earth. He has called me back to my duty, and I cannot fail.

"This will all seem very strange to you, my unknown, unseen, unmet son. But I am not one of your people. I have taken on the form of a human, but I am not human."

Not human!

"Oh man," I heard Tobias mumble with sarcasm.

"Not another lunatic." I said in my turn.

DeGroot glanced at Aria/Visser Three. Then he continued.

"I was in a terrible war. I did terrible things. I had to, I suppose. But I grew tired of war, so I ran away. I went and hid among the people of Earth. Among humans. While on Earth, and living as a human, I took the name Alan Fangor."

The lawyer was quoting from memory now, no longer reading. His eyes were narrowed to slits as he watched us.

"I took the name Alan Fangor. But my true name is Elfangor-Sirinial-Shamtul."

Elfangor... The Andalite that died giving us the power to morph...

I blinked in confusion, knowing I couldn't let another emotion slip without showing this. "What kind of name is that?" I whispered. Tobias seemed to have heard me but otherwise, DeGroot and Aria didn't.

"That it?" Tobias asked.

Aria seemed disappointed. That was all I managed to notice before DeGroot continued.

"There's more," the lawyer said, drawing a delayed breath. "But my true name is Elfangor-Sirinial-Shamtul," he repeated, like he couldn't quite believe that name didn't make us jump up and run around the room. "And though you both will never know me and we will never meet, I wanted to make sure that you knew my disappearance from your lives was not by my choice. I wanted nothing more than to live out my life, loving your mother and loving you both as well."

DeGroot looked annoyed now. Let down. He mumbled through the last paragraph of the letter like he had somewhere else to be.

"But I was part of something larger than myself. I had my duty. There was a great evil I had to fight. There were lives I had to try and save. Including yours and your mother's. I am from a race called Andalites. Duty is very important to us. As it is to many, many humans. I cannot say that I love you, my sons, because I do not know you. But know that I wanted to love you. Know that, at least.

"It's signed Elfangor-Sirinial-Shamtul, Prince."

"That figures," Tobias said after a harsh laugh.

"What figures?" Visser Three asked.

"That some guy calls himself our father when we don't even know each other is a lunatic." I answered for Tobias.

"Some idiot. Perfect." Tobias added. "So no money right?"

DeGroot shook his head to comfirm it. "No money."

I shoved my hands in my jeans pockets as Tobias and I stood. Aria stood as well.

"You really want to take me in, or were you just hoping I was going to inherit something?" Tobias demanded.

"You were going to take me away from my family?" I wondered, realizing what Aria was going to do if Tobias and I had agreed.

"No, no!" Aria shook her head. "I wasn't going to take you away, Daniel, but for Tobias, I would have. But it may have to wait just a little while. You see, I was suddenly called back to Africa to do some reshooting of ... of some lions."

Tobias laughed derisively, still the tough street kid. "Great. I have a nut for a father and a fake for a cousin."

"People are nuts these days," I agreed. We turned our backs on them.

"Tobias, Daniel," Aria said.

Mentally groaning, we turned to face her again. "What?" Tobias asked for us.

"I ... I knew your father. We were, shall we say, on the opposite sides of certain issues. But he was no fool." Suddenly Aria/Visser Three smiled. It was a faraway smile, like she/he was remembering something from long ago. "Prince Elfangor-Sirinial-Shamtul was no fool. And the galaxy will not soon see his like again."

"You're as crazy as he was!" Tobias replied, throwing his hands in the air.

I walked out first, Tobias coming out next, closing the door behind us. He heard something that I didn't.

We left the building and turned into an alley, Tobias demorphing and remorphing human, finally letting the tears that he must have been holding up for a while, or at least when they said Elfangor's name, out. I sat next to him, trying to comfort him, and when he finally stopped crying, pulled out the holograms I had taken from Elfangor's ship. I gave them to Tobias so he could see them personally.

When he activated them, the one of the Andalites- Elfangor, Ax and their parents- were still the same, but the one of the humans had changed.

Instead of one child being held by the mother, there was two.

"So it's true." Tobias whispered, looking at the one in the mother's arms, a boy with dirty blond hair and brown eyes, then at the one in the father's arms, a boy with black hair and blue eyes. Him and me.

"We're brothers." I whispered back, then looked up at the sky with him. "A secret finally revealed by our father."

"Elfangor." Tobias finished. "Our father, Elfangor."


	16. Of Cyborgs and Moon Beams

I don't own DP or Animorphs. There.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

I had more reason to be worried about him now. I had found out that he had figured out the truth about him and Tobias.

Now I needed to hope that he didn't find out about me. Or it could ruin our entire friendship.

-pov change-time change-

I woke up to Tobias- my brother- flapping at the window. ((Da-Der-brother?)) He stuttered. After the meeting with DeGroot and seeing that Elfangor called me Derek in the letter, we've all been confused about what they should call me. Stick with Danny, the name my foster Mom and Dad gave me, Derek, the name I got from Elfangor, or make up a new name altogether? Darek? Danek? Who knows? When Tobias didn't know what to call me, he just called me brother, but it wasn't so simple for everyone else.

I opened my window to let Tobias in. ((Yeah?)) I asked in thoughtspeak, not wanting to let anyone else hear.

((I don't think we're home exactly.)) He told me.

((And home is where exactly?)) I muttered, closing the window. ((The Andalite Homeworld? Amity? Cali? Do we even have a home?))

Tobias tried to roll his eyes, and did pretty good, considering he was a hawk. ((I would consider looking at yourself in the mirror before I answered anymore questions.)) Then Tobias remembered that I don't have a mirror in my room. ((Or, feel your face.))

I raised an eyebrow. I rubbed my hand across my face and felt...

((Facial hair?!)) I gasped. ((What the heck?!))

((You should see me.)) Tobias started morphing human, except...

It wasn't him.

He was in his thirties, and since we were twins- we found that out later after our meeting with DeGroot- I expected I was too. He had a half inch long beard, long messy hair, well long for a guy, but not as long as Marco's was when I first met him, and old faded eyes, as if he wasn't in there any life in them. He was maybe five and half feet tall. He wore a plain white shirt and some bottoms to what seemed like an orange suit, the top of the suit around his waist like a jacket. The jumpsuit seemed like my dad's, just smaller. ((I know, I don't look like I have a soul in me, do I?)) He asked.

((What do I look like?)) I wondered.

((Older, day old beard, messier hair than normal, and shorter, not in your usual style, duller blue eyes, an inch taller than me, and you're wearing the same suit as me, in the same fashion too.)) Tobias answered. ((Like I said, I don't think we're home anymore.))

GO TO WORK! A voice yelled in the room we were in.

((I think we better follow the voice.)) I said and we put the top of our jumpsuits on.

Once we finished completely dressing, a door appeared out of nowhere. Different colored suits were walking past. We joined the mob.

((Don't get separated,)) Tobias stated. ((Who knows where we are.))

I gave a slight nod and what seemed like a monorail came soon. We entered and as soon as we sat down, belts appeared around our legs and chests. Then...

Shoo-shoo-shoo.

The unmanned hovercraft drew power. A deep computer voice boomed, "Midtown express." Doors clicked shut and . . .

Sheeeeeeooo!

Into an aerial roll! Hanging upside down! My stomach went goofy. Gray high-rises shot past. Other hovercraft streaked past the windows.

((Close to flying, but not quite!)) Tobias muttered both of us trying to keep a straight face.

((Hey Tobias,)) I began.

((What?))

((Is it still a morph or was the hawk the morph?)) I wondered. ((Because if it's the human that's a morph, I think we have a problem.))

Tobias gave a slight shake of his head. ((No, the hawk was. I was a human for almost three hours. I don't know what happened but I know that the hawk was a morph.))

"Tobias? Danny?" I heard a whisper from our left. It was another orange suit...

((Jake?!)) I replied, recgonizing him.

Tobias glanced at the man on his left. ((Jake?))

The man gave a slight nod. "Do you guys know where we are?"

((We don't know. I would just go along with the flow.)) I answered.

"Hey," A voice said.

We banked right. Flipped a sudden 180 degrees. And leveled off, upright, soaring parallel to the street grid below.

"Hey, Essak-Twenty-Four-Twelve-Seven-Five!" The male voice was friendly. Jake flinched but turned when the guy placed a hand on him. It was a guy in a green suit on Jake's left, staring at him with icy blue eyes. "When's the launch?" He asked.

Jake blinked at him, all three of us not sure what he was talking about.

"Eslpin? Einat?" He asked Tobias and me. We all responded with the same blank look.

Air brakes rose to a frenzied roar. The hovercraft grazed a landing dock. The computer voice boomed, "Middle management!" Everyone suited in green rose and filed out.

The guy gave a mischievous smile. "Mr. Hotshot Scientists forget to take their coffee?" Then he disappeared into the crowd.

We all knew what Green Suit had called us by-

Yeerk names.

-later-

It was just the three of us and one more female orange suit. She left without questioning us, since we all had made some sort of outburst earlier in the ride. She figured that we were going to the clinic.

The ride stopped again and we all filed out, landing on the concrete.

We walked a while, and saw a billboard that had some grafitti on it- EF.

"Rebellion maybe?" Jake whispered, so that only Tobias and I !

We turned around quickly. Taxxons!

TSEEEER!

A raptor!

"If you weren't here I'd think that was you." Jake breathed. Then we realized that the Taxxons saw us.

I spotted the subway. ((The subway, run!)) I yelled and we dashed into the steam. I saw the guy when my eyes flashed green, and was able to phase through him but the others weren't so lucky.

"Who are you?" The guy asked when he noticed us. He held fliers behind his back, and I saw the letters EF. When we didn't answer, Tobias and Jake panting, myself not as much but didn't want to answer, he continued. "What did you do to get sent down here?" It was like he was jurying us and we had a horrible fate ahead. The guy shrugged and continued. "You won't last long down here. No one does."

The gate above us banged open and we heard the Taxxons following us down. The guy's eyes opened wide and he turned to run.

I grabbed Tobias and Jake, Tobias grabbing the guy. I turned us all invisible and phased through items.

We finally emerged into a wide, domed hall with a stagnant, toxic puddle at its center. Clustered around this shallow, filthy water — cramped and miserable — was a sampling of human and alien life.

A horrific sampling.

Clumsy Gedds walked at a snail's pace. Battered Horks huddled around a glowing pit, missing limbs. Human children, and maimed or disabled adults, lay on thin, soiled mats. Battled-scarred Andalites also were lacking body parts, milling restlessly. The stench was profound. The moans were heartrending.

It was the eyes that told the story, though. Defeated, dejected. Living death.

At the sound of our abrupt entrance, most turned and tensed. Weak as they were, they were ready to run. Not fight. That was clear.

"What is this?" I gasped. "Who are you?" The fumes made me light-headed.

The little guy interrupted his whispers of reassurance to a group of human kids. "Depends who you ask," he said. "The Emperor calls us fugitives. The EF calls us refugees. I call us casualties. Casualties of the Fitness Policy. But it doesn't really matter, does it? We're all prey." He smiled. "You two have strong bodies. You two must suffer mental illnesses?"

"Most likely," Tobias said for him and Jake, Jake just nodding.

The man nodded. Then he remembered what I had done to get us here. "You." He looked past the heads of Jake and Tobias and looked directly at me. "You," He said uncertainly. "You are not normal."

My secret was about to be figured out. Tobias and Jake were starting to get light headed.

We dashed back through the way we had came from.

-later again-

"You're a planetary engineer? Working on the Chrysler Building project?" Cassie asked us- well, mostly Jake, he was the one who had the badge. Wait, no, Tobias and I had badges too, but we were hidden. She hadn't seen us yet, since we were invisible- we had split up with him and met up back here. Cassie moved towards Jake, her uninjured arm grabbing Jake's arm. Her voice was intense, near obsessed.

"Jake, the Yeerks want the moon. They want to make it a small, Kandrona-radiating sun. If they succeed, it means an Earth bathed in Kandrona rays for the rest of eternity! It'll be something the EF could never touch and never disable. No one could."

((I don't think this is leading towards a good idea...))

Tobias muttered.

"Your job brings you closer to the moon-ray technology than anyone in the EF. You know that shell over the Chrysler Building? The Yeerks have been working under there for months, fine-tuning the energy beam that will ignite the moon. The targeting has to be precise. Absolutely precise. The Yeerks need the beam to fire exactly the way you and your team have calculated, or else . . ."

She was animated. Her eyes glistened as she stood before me. There was the spark I knew. Only it wasn't love of people or animals that put it there. It was thoughts of sabotage, terrorism, strategy.

And now she was drawing us into it, too.

Jake ripped off the badge that Cassie was staring at, breaking her trance. "Tell me right now! How did we get here? Where are the others? How were you captured? Is this even real?"

Cassie's enthusiasm settled. I dopped our invisibility and we neared closer. She didn't want to answer, but she knew that to get Jake's/our help, she'd have too. "I'll tell you Jake, if you don't really remember, but you won't like the answer." She laughed a little then looked into Jake's eyes. "How was I captured? Betrayed. By you, Jake. You were a Controller by then, though. Tom's Yeerk found out. Clues, carelessness, I don't know. He planned his attack so well that when it came, you didn't stand a chance."

She continued. "You, Marco and Ax were taken immediately, in the barn. They killed Tucker and Rachel outright. Caught me the next day. Recaptured Jazz the day after. Took our families after then. They couldn't find Tobias or Danny. Almost as if they disappeared off the face of the earth."

Just as I was sure was happening to Jake and Tobias, a tightness constricted in my throat. They were mentally mourning for Rachel, but I was mourning for my best friend. I hadn't gotten to get that close to Rachel just yet, but Tucker, we'd known each other for a long time, almost as long as I've known Tobias, but it wasn't the same because Tucker and I were there for each other for a long time.

to find a burnt Taxxon. She fired once in another direction again, and another Taxxon was gone. She said something but I didn't hear it.

We just ran out into the street, not caring if Cassie realized that Tobias and I weren't there in the beginning when she found Jake.

Cassie fired her dracon out of no where and we guys all turned suddenly

We stopped at an old newstand. Tobias and I stayed out of Cassie's line of view, just to be safe.

"The others, where are they now?" Jake demanded.

Cassie paused next to a pile of romance novels. "Ax became a high-ranking Controller. From what I heard, he was the key player in the Yeerk attack on his home world. The Andalite planet was decimated. Millions died. Tens of thousands of Andalites were taken. EF leadership thinks there are some still free in deep space, but I can't imagine . . . "

"Marco..." Her face turned colder. "Marco's Visser Two now. He's in charge of earth. He's done things... terrible things..."

"The Visser Three you remember was made head of the Council. The supreme Yeerk leader. Emperor."

"It was good luck that I met you, Jake. The job you have as planetary engineer is an incredible chance for the EF." Cassie was intense and obsessed again. "The controlled burn of the moon the Empire is planning? We need to make it uncontrolled. The perfect targeting of the energy beam? We need it to be off. Exploding the moon will shower the earth with debris. It will knock out satellites, destroy spacecraft, disrupt the entire Yeerk social structure. It will create an opening for attack by the EF. Jake, do you hear me? It will be the opening the EF and free humans have been waiting for."

"Free humans?" Jake repeated. "There's still hope?"

"I told you the war wasn't lost. But it will be. All hope will be erased if this energy beam fires as the Yeerks want it to. Go to work." She knew Jake would help her. She knew she was his- our- leader now. "Live the life your badge describes. Watch, listen, get information, scope things out. But don't act until I contact you. I'll send someone who works with me to give you instructions. We'll need a code word."

Jake and Cassie agreed on the password Animorphs. She left and Tobias and I emerged.

What are we going to do man?" I asked.

"We don't know what's going on around here," Tobias agreed.

Jake sighed. Cassie may be his leader in this way, but we were going to follow him still. "I guess we follow the plan."

"

-later-

Tucker... Rachel... Their names echoed in my mind as we walked invisibly through the alleys.

"Do you think Jake's all right?" I whispered to Tobias.

"Do you think Jake's all right? Fear me." A mechanical voice stated.

"You stupid..." A male voice muttered, followed by a string of words I shouldn't repeat. "Jake's dead and there's no ghost around this stupid place."

"Tobias..." I breathed. "We have company..."

"Tobias we have company. Fear me." The Fenton Ghost Gabber said.

"Tobias is gone, you idiot piece of junk! Why did I even bother trying to fix you?" I finally realized who it was.

Tucker.

"You're... alive?" I asked, Tobias and I nearing closer. "Is Rachel alive?"

"You're... alive? Is Rachel alive? Fear me." The Gabber repeated.

Tucker finally noticed us. He was wearing a white shirt and jeans, holding the Gabber in his hands. He wasn't wearing his cap or glasses, a scar running along his jaw line. "Danny?" He breathed.

I dropped our invisibility. Tucker gasped.

"Yeah, it's us."

-insert commercial of choice-

"Tobias... Danny... I..." Tucker stuttered.

"First, turn that thing off. I'm sure Danny doesn't want to know what you did to that thing." Tobias told him and Tucker did so. "Second, Cassie said you were dead!"

Tucker seemed confused. He shook his head. "Cassie's free?"

"No, she's not." I answered. "Run in with Jake and us..."

"Is... is Rachel still alive?" Tobias whispered.

My best friend nodded. "Just... just not as fortunate as me." He stepped out into the lighter area of the alley and we saw his scar from the war.

His entire left side, which had been facing away from us, was robotized. His leg had several patches of real flesh but it was mostly robotized. His arm and part of his chest was completely machinery. But his face looked completely normal except for his left eye, which was glowing red. He then turned his left side away from us again.

"It's been a while since I've seen her, but she's alive currently," Tucker told us. "Beaten up and scarred worse so that she can't stand, but alive." He glanced at me. "Did you say you ran into Cassie? And that you've seen Jake?"

"Yeah, we did. Cassie didn't see us, we were invisible, but she was talking with Jake and we heard what they were talking about." I answered.

"And we ran into Jake when we first came and woke up here." Tobias finished. "Can you explain to us how exactly we got here? Because the last thing we remember is it being after the mission where we found the other Andalites that were staying here on Earth... well, not exactly this Earth..."

He shook his head. "I wouldn't know. All I know is that you two are working on that project for the launch to the moon." His red eye looked around. "We need to go..." He turned around and motioned for us to follow quietly.

Tucker's red eye flashed in my direction and then blackness...

-pov change-

Danny and Tobias disappeared out of no where. I just looked in their direction and then they were gone. Vanished into thin air. I knew they weren't invisible, otherwise they would have told me.

I sighed and shook my head, slipping back into the shadows, heading back to the place I called-

"Casper High?" I gasped, staring at the building. I looked around me. I could see the large sign saying Welcome to Amity in the far sky. I could see the building that once was the Fenton Works.

"Something isn't right here..." I heard a dry husky voice say from behind me in the shadows.

"Jee, you think?" Another voice muttered in the same direction.

My red eye flashed in that direction, lighting up the dark alley in the pitch black of night. The gears in my android body slowly turned, making as little noise as possible. My left arm quietly charged up, waiting to be fired if the people turned out to be enemies. I hoped I didn't have to fire it- there's been enough bloodshed already, and I've killed more people than I've wanted to. Besides, the world didn't need more ghosts...

I changed the light to nightvision so that they wouldn't notice when I snuck up behind them but so that I could still figure out who it was...

White... Silver... Brown... Blue... Black... Red...

I turned off my ray. I didn't need to see anything else to know that they weren't foes.

"OK then, class, take out your science textbooks, turn to page 136, and read about time travel." I said, clasping my hands together loud enough for them to notice me.

The younger teen glanced at the older one before looking my way. She had barely entered her teens, fourteen at the most, mainly black hair with some brown, tips dyed red, baby blue eyes staring me down. Her white shirt had black flames designed in it and wore dark black jeans.

The older teen was glancing at the sky, not paying any notice to me. Brown hair, a streak of white in it, silver eyes confused, silver jumpsuit almost falling off of his frame, twenties maybe? I wasn't sure anymore.

"Project Phantom, I presume?" I asked, referring to the male.

"What's it too you?" The female demanded. The male didn't even seem to notice me yet.

I raised an eyebrow in slight confusion, but mostly for no reason. "Oh? So if I happened to know Phantom himself, would it matter?"

The male turned to face me sharply. "You know Phantom?"

I nodded slightly. "He was/is my best friend. I was there when he first came."

"So who are you?" The female asked me.

_"He's Tucker, duh."_ A familiar voice said. But they didn't seem to hear. It must have been in my head... it sounded so much like Danny...

"I'm Foley." I stated.

"_Since when did he start calling himself by his last name?"_ Another voice said in my head. Tobias maybe?

_"How should I know?"_

"Foley?" The male repeated. "_TUCKER_ Foley?" I nodded.

"I can't believe it's you!" The female exclaimed and before I knew it, I was stuck in a hug.

I raised an eyebrow, this time in actual confusion. "Should I know you?"

The male pulled the female away from me. "He's not from our time As'in." The female, As'in(1)- a Yeerk name maybe- looked at him in confusion. "The Foley we know is more robot than human, not half and half, remember?"

"Oh, right..." As'in muttered.

"Who are you?" I asked, unsure.

"I'm Jinsk(2) and this is As'in." The male- Jinsk- said. "We had parents who were Tekken fans, even though it was an old game series." He explained.

"Our Mom's favorite character was Asuka Kazama and our Dad's was Jin Kazama. They took the "as" in my name from Asuka and "in" from Jin; they took all of Jin's name for Jinsk's and added "sk" which was the "suk" part of Asuka's name without the u." As'in explained further, as if that would help me. I never really played Tekken.

Seeing I was still confused, Jinsk took out a hologram and pressed a button. It was of a female with brown hair and eyes, dressed in a blue outfit. "Asuka Kazama." He pressed another button. This time the hologram was of a male with spikey black hair and brown eyes. "And Jin Kazama. Cousins."

I nodded, pretending to understand.

Then there was a blinding light...

-

(1) As'in is pronounced like assasin.

(2) Jinsk is pronounced like jinx.

yeah, um, I got back into the habbit of playing Tekken 5 and seeing I needed names for the teens, I mixed up the names of my favorite characters... For those who this is the first story of mine you've read, every now and then I'll find a way to "promote" my new current thing, like in this chapter with Tekken, and the one where they first met Hcari with Blood Is Thicker- we were reading it in class. This doesn't happen often though.

See ya in the next chapter- when it's finished, I mean- or in a review reply.

Speaking of reviews...

PRESS THE REVIEW BUTTON!

PS- I finally figured out what happened to Danny in those three months he went missing! And where he and Tobias went in this chapter! :D YAY!


	17. Traveling Through Worlds?

Disclaimer: I don't own DP or Animorphs, no matter how much I want to. But at least I can write fanfiction for it. :)

Cop: You now have no authorization to write fanfiction.

Me: You've got to be kidding!

Cop: You also have no authorization to write anything.

Me: Not even my name?

Cop: Not even that. *takes away everything I can type/write on/with*

Me: NO!!!!!

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN:

I lied on the ground, eyes closed, groaning inside my head, not daring to make a sound, who knows who could be there?

I heard two thuds- As'in and Jinsk?

Greatly wishing I could do thoughtspeak right now to ask them if they were all right without getting the attention of any enemies that may be with us, I peeked through my eyelids. I see white and red sneakers and another pair of brown ones stop and turn. I look around a bit, sighing in relief mentally when I see the silver jumpsuit and black flames. They were here safe.

Well, hopefully we all were.

"Darren..." A male voice said with concern. "How did they get here?"

"Gee, do you think I'd know?" Another male replied- Darren.

I suppose the first guy rolled his eyes at that Darren. "Well, we'd better help them."

"Help them?!" Darren repeated. "For all we know that older guy will jump us as soon as we help him up! He probably knocked out those two kids too, unless they're part of the plan to jump us as well!"

"Darren," The first guy interrupted. "If they were planning on jumping us, wouldn't you think they'd do it now since our backs are to them? And if you think that they're going to jump us, why did you just turn around to give them the perfect chance to get us?"

Darren didn't have a comeback to that. He sighed. "Fine, but if Dad gets angry at us..."

The first guy laughed. "Oh lighten up. You're always thinking about the bad stuff. You need to be more optimistic."

"Like you, Talon?" Darren replied. I pictured him smirking.

"Sure, why not?" Talon said as he stopped in front of me. "Let's see, if we could wake this guy up, maybe he can help us with the other two. I mean, two people can't really support three, and they're all older than us too."

"I'll wake him up." Darren told Talon and the white and red sneakers stopped next to the brown ones.

Talon, I supposed, was rolling his eyes at Darren again. "Oh, just like you wake me up everyday?"

"You mean with freezing cold ice water?" I think Talon nodded. "Then, yeah."

Crap, water? My left side would rust!

Trying to avoid getting rusted, I groaned as if I was just waking up. I fluttered my eyes and tried to get up, putting all of my weight on my left robot arm, since it was the stronger one...

If I HAD a left arm.

I fell down again, able to protect myself from breaking my face with my right arm. I moaned, this time it wasn't fake.

Talon laughed again. "Well, I guess you can put away that cold water of yours, Darren. He's coming to,"

"Dang it, I was hoping I could do it to someone that would try to kick me in the face!" Darren muttered.

A gloved hand appeared in front of me. It was Darren's, I could tell because his white and red sneakers were in front of me as well. "Are you OK?" He asked as he helped me up.

I nodded, mentally sighing as I noted that I only had my right arm. But, I thought, at least you have both legs and everything else. "What's the date? Where am I?" I wondered, trying to gather more information as of where we had landed.

The dark brunette boy with blue eyes- aka Darren- raised an eyebrow at me in confusion.

"You must be having some serious hang-over if you can't remember," The black haired boy with brown eyes- Talon- stated. "But it's May 16, 2009 if you must know."

"And welcome to the craziness of California." Darren finished. "I'm Darren and this is my twin brother Talon." If I wasn't trying to hide the fact that I wasn't unconscious when they found us, then I would have said I know, but since I was, I didn't say anything just yet. "Come on, we're taking you and your two friends to our house so you three can get better,"

I gave a weak smile. "That's nice of you two, considering the three of us are strangers,"

Darren jerked a thumb at Talon. "Blame him. If it were up to me, I would have left you here."

Talon rolled his eyes once again. "Thought you three were gonna jump us," He explained, even though I knew already.

I nodded again. "I'll support the boy, you two support the girl. And you two better not do anything funny with her!"

"Yes sir!" The twins said in unison and put one of As'in's arms around their shoulders and an arm around hers. I lifted up Jinsk with my one arm and put all of his weight on me. For someone in his twenties, he was pretty light...

"Lead the way boys!" I said once I was ready.

-later-

After about half an hour, we reached a two story house. There was a yellow hummer outside, parked next to a small blue car in the driveway.

Darren slipped out from As'in to knock on the door. He then quickly went back to help Talon with As'in before he dropped her.

"Be right there!" A man's voice called from inside.

"Just don't let the WATER burn, Dad!" Talon joked.

"Ha ha, very funny," The man muttered as he opened the door. "Oh. Come in," He opened the door wider and the brothers entered with As'in first. I followed them with Jinsk and he closed the door behind us.

The man had brown hair which was sort of long and messy. He had green eyes that reminded me oddly of someone I swore I knew so long ago. We were generally the same height now, around six feet tall, and he seemed a few years older than me, in his forties while I myself was in my thirties.

As soon as As'in was on a couch, and Jinsk on one of the armrest chairs, myself trying to dust myself off and by the walls, the man spoke again. "Excuse us for a moment, I'm just going to talk to my sons." He pulled them off into what I supposed was the kitchen.

"Everything is so familiar..." I whispered, looking around the house. "I could have sworn-" Then it hit me.

Not only did the three of us travel in time, we had gone through universes.

This was the second Fenton Works.

-insert commercial of choice-several hours later-

As'in was still out by nightfall, and Jinsk had left for what he called his "nightly roof run", whatever that meant.

Al, the man, had agreed to let the three of us stay until we were able to leave, aka, get back to our normal times and universes.

But we all know that that is nearly impossible, right?

"Hey," Talon muttered as he entered the kitchen, which was where I was in and had been in for a while. "Want somethin'?" He asked drowsily as he opened the cabinet for a cup.

"Nah." I replied, still trying to get used to only having one arm, even though I've had only one arm before, I had a fake on in replacement. "What are you doing up at midnight?"

Talon shrugged, combing a hand through his long black hair as he waited for his cup to fill with water. "Couldn't sleep," He said, removing the cup from under the faucet. "You?" Talon pulled up the sleeves of his black shirt with some weird design.

"Thinkin'." I stated.

FLASH!

"What the heck?!" We heard from in the living room. Talon and I glanced at each other then slowly stood up, inching towards the room. Darren met us in the hallway in between the kitchen and had a bat of solid ice forming in his hands- apparently, this was a world where people didn't care if strangers found out about powers... Then again, maybe this was a world where everyone had powers.

I glanced at Talon. But then, if everyone had powers, why wasn't Talon using his?

Something cold brushed the skin of the stump of my left shoulder and nearly all of my left side. Half of my vision turned red. Whirring was able to be heard. I ignored it and entered the living room first- my red eye scanning the room as my left arm turned into a dracon beam. It faintly occurred to me that somehow I became half cyborg again. I mentally shrugged. So much for being human again.

I aimed my dracon at the back of the figure that was standing up before I thought I recognized that messy hairstyle...

"Danny?!"


	18. Dream End Nightmare Enter

Disclaimer: I do not own Danny Phantom or Animorphs. Please Read Author's Note at End of Chapter.

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

The thirteen year old boy turned around, his blue eyes opened wide.

"Danny, it's me." I turned the dracon back into my mechanical arm. "I won't hurt you." I put up my hands to show him I mean no harm.

"Dude, you're a cyborg!" Danny stated and backed up into the wall.

"You have powers too?" Darren whispered to me.

"I guess you can say that." I replied under my breath. "Danny, it's ok! I won't hurt you. I'm a friend."

Danny's blue eyes looked between the three of us, not sure if he could get out of the house between a robot, a guy with an ice bat, and someone who probably had a power that couldn't be seen just yet. "Friend?" He repeated.

I nodded. "Yes. I'm on your side." I wondered why he wasn't going ghost if he was so scared. He could have just phased right into the wall and ran away...

Then it hit me.

Danny was fourteen when he walked into the portal. He was only thirteen now.

He was still human.

"If that's so..." Danny said, inching slowly toward the door. "Then prove it."

I thought for a while. What would only Danny and I know of? "Your sister has a toy bear that looks like Einstein. Bear-bert Einstein I think. Your middle name is James. Your best friends are Tucker Foley and Samantha "Sam" Manson. Dash picks on you when he gets a bad grade-"

"All right, I believe you!" Danny interrupted, probably not wanting anything else embarrassing to be said, though so far the only embarrassing thing about him was mentioning being picked on. "Who are you people? How...?"

"I'm Darren Fang, that's my twin Talon." Darren introduced himself and his brother.

I hesitated. "I'm Tucker Foley." I stated.

He reacted exactly how I thought he would.

He passed out.

-later Danny Pov-

I woke up. I was in my bed at home. "That was some freaky dream... Cyborgs, a real life Bobby Drake... I probably shouldn't have eaten that left over pizza before bed..."

"No, this is all real."A voice was the boy Talon- the one who looked the most normal of the three that greeted me earlier.

"You're not another person who has powers, are you? " I asked.

Talon shook his head. "I'm normal." He glanced at me. "What about you?"

"I got crazy parents that's all." I answered. "They hunt ghost-or what they think are ghosts."

He laughed slightly. "If I hadn't grown up with Dad, I'd say he was crazy too." He paused. "You wouldn't believe me if I told what Dad is..."

I leaned back. "Try me. I bet I've seen crazier."

Talon smirked. "Really?" I nodded. "How many blue half centaur morphing aliens?"

"ALIENS?!" I almost yelled.

My companion nodded. "That's what he is." I opened my mouth to ask about Darren, but it seemed Talon could read minds or something because he explained him next. "Darren's got the morphing powers too and somehow has ice powers. Probably some side effect, seeing that he couldn't morph at all after the first day." He stopped and leaned back from his spot on the floor. "I was basically the outcast of the house- unless you do turn out to have powers, like Tucker said."

I shook my head. " I don't think that's my friend. My friend is 13, like me. And he's not half human, half robot. But I'm normal. At least, as far as I know."

_"The transporters are going crazy! We can't get everyone back to their right place in the universe!"_ A voice yelled. Talon and I almost jumped.

_"Idiot, there's a reset button right there." _Another voice said. _"I'll press it."_

"Bye." Talon said simply as he faded away...

-unknown time later-

"Bro, you ok?" Tobias asked me. "You passed out suddenly."

I nodded. "I just had the weirdest dream..." I glanced at the mirror to make sure I was me. "But we just can't lose the war."

-unknown time later, Tobias POV-

"Danny! Hold on!" I yelled as I ran to the edge of the cliff. "We're coming! Try to fly up!"

((It's pointless, Tobias! I can't hold on!)) Danny shouted back, his claws digging into the crumbling earth.

"Use your ghost powers, idiot!" I cursed as I tripped. "Don't go fully into your grave just yet!"

Danny's claws dug deeper. ((They won't work! They're too weak from the Ghostly Wail!))

I forced myself back up again. "Bull! Fly you jerk!" I started again, ignoring the searing pain in my leg- I had cut it at some point... "The others can't hold up much longer! We need you back on the field! Think about Jazz and Tucker! You've known them your entire life. You want to let them down now?!"

((Tucker will understand. And so will Jazz, and everyone else.)) Danny stated.

I had to get him back to his senses by one of the only two ways possible. "What about Sam? You're just gonna let her continue living without telling her how you feel, bro?!"

((She never understood anyway, Tobias.)) Danny tried to dig in some more, but the ground started to crumble some more. ((Just go help the others!))

"You're my brother! Even if you weren't, I would never abandon a friend! If you die, we both die! I promised you that, remember?" I was almost there, but I couldn't pull a full grown tiger up as a human. It was pointless, unless I could demorph and morph into something stronger without making the ground break and before Danny let go.

Danny's eyes opened slightly wider. ((That was years ago! Long before we even knew about a war! We were playing a game when we promised that!))

I reached the edge, and already started to try to at least pull a paw farther from there. It could just be enough to help Danny back up... "I wasn't playing around, and you know you weren't either when you agreed! Now shut up and get your butt back here!"

((Tobias, let go! You'll fall over too!)) Danny shouted at me. I was almost tempted to let my younger (by a few minutes) brother go from the tone of his voice, but I stood my ground.

"No! We fight together, we die together!" I repeated, pulling even harder, cursing at myself for not making sure he was OK and warning him of the cliff. If only I wasn't so weak...

"How touching." A cold, stern voice said from behind me. A cold object touched the back of my head, and I froze.

"..." I remained speechless, not wanting to risk getting a taste of metal.

What I had said was going to come true... We fought together on the same side against ghosts and aliens alike, and now, we were going to die together- myself from the bullet, Danny from his fall.

"I'm sorry I have to be the one to end this touching moment between two brothers." The voice told us, no hint of sadness in her tone.

((If that was so...)) Danny began.

"Why would you be the one to kill us..." I continued. "...Rachel?"

"I am Jakem Eight-Zero-One, not your pathetic Rachel you ask for." The Yeerk corrected.

I gritted my teeth. "Rachel..." I said under my breath. "Is not..." I slowly started to stand. "Pathetic!" I turned sharply and kicked the gun out of the Yeerk's hands, knocking her down to the floor, causing her to pass out. I turned back towards Danny-

"DANNY!" I leaned over the edge, watching the falling blue and white form shrink as it fell closer towards the rocky ground bellow.

((Good luck bro...)) Was the last thing I heard from him.

"I'll need it..." I whispered, as I stood again, and faced the rest of the enemy. And I charged, screaming my heart out, tears of rage falling...

_Such a pathetic soul_

_Is the one who gave up everything_

_Least his own life_

_Everything for a purpose unknown_

_Nothing for his own selfish reasons_

_Cease the life of this soul_

_Enduring the horror and pain of this world..._

**The following thoughts were written in the order they were thought of.**

**I realize this is a pretty short chapter. In fact, I just made up over half of it just today...**

**This may or may not be the last chapter of "Ghost or Alien?". It is not decided just yet, but I have decided that if this should be the last chapter, I will try to make a sequal ASAP. Until then, this story shall be marked as Complete.**

**The main question is...**

**Is the last part Tobias tells us of real or fake?**

**I own the poem at the end of the chapter, which I have just named "Silence" for now. Put in your review if you want to use it, and make sure to credit me. **

**I do allow reviews for those without accounts here on Fanfiction. I appreciate all feedback- and I would appreciate it if you pointed out flaws in my story. Any questions, I will try to answer.**

**I may post a bonus chapter where I will state all questions I have gotten and their answers and trivia. Or it may just say some other things, I don't know just yet...**

**All ideas are also welcome. I can not promise that I will use them for sure, and in this story, but they will be welcomed.**

**And that is all for now. See you soon!!!!! :)**

**-Ani**


	19. Bonus

BONUS CHAPTER:

**Q&A**

CHAPTER THREE QUESTIONS:

QUESTION FROM ShineX:

Why would he listen to a ghost like that?

ANSWER:

I actually have no idea... It's been a long time since I wrote that part...

CHAPTER FOUR QUESTIONS:

QUESTION FROM The Feral Candy Cane:

Who is this Lilla? And is Tobias able to morph in this fic? Is that where his name "Talon" comes from?

ANSWER:

Lilla was a random character who had the morphing power and was also a ghost. Seeing she may not come back at all, I will say that she and Lorraine are the same person.

Tobias wasn't able to morph at first- no one was until later chapters.

I believe I just chose Talon because I wanted his fake name to start with a T like his real name... I came across it, and it fits, seeing he became stuck as a hawk after the first book...

CHAPTER FIVE QUESTIONS:

QUESTION FROM ShineX: [more like a statement]

One thing that is blaring in my mind right now is this is definitely going against the rules that are set up, and going against what would have to happen for Danny to become Dan. The Ellimist and Crayak set up the rule for no interfering so unless this is some sort of game they set up they would not do this. That's also the only explanation for him turning into Dan like that. *sigh*, this 'is' a good chapter, but only if you have a damn good explanation for this stuff.

ANSWER:

I don't even know what I had said would be the explanation for Danny being able to turn into Dan when I started writing this chapter... But I do know is that it was more than likely not Ellimist or Crayak.

CHAPTER SIX QUESTIONS:

QUESTION FROM RedHerring1412:

This is an interesting story so far, though the last couple of chapters confused me completely. (Must be because I have only read the first several books or so.)

Oh? Danny can morph now? Wonder if it will make him have a weird side-effect when he does morph. Like always making him an albino animal or something (as in he is colored white). After all, it isn't like they have Ax around yet to say that turning like is not normal.

Still, I hope to read more from you soon. I've always thought about a xover, and it is nice to see that you are doing one. Good luck with the next chapter. Ja!

ANSWER:

Wah you found out what I was going to do long before I had actually written it... But yes, there was the side effect at first.

CHAPTER SEVEN QUESTIONS:

QUESTION FROM ShineX:

First: Why isn't he revealing who he is? He's now hiding their secret, a secret that could mean no resistance on Earth

Second: Cassie is definitely smart enough to figure out he's phantom with what he's done in front of her

ANSWER:

*I go reread chapter 7 first* 1, I don't know... 2, she left the barn while they were changing and didn't come back until after they were gone. I guess I forgot to say that she still wasn't in there then... ^^; Heh...

FROM RedHerring1412:

*Insert RHK's correct guesses of what would happen next here*

ANSWER:

... Like I told you before, you guessed correct... Am I really that predictable? :? Or can you read my mind here?

CHAPTER NINE QUESTIONS:

QUESTION FROM The Feral Candy Cane:

Oh no! They got Tucker?

The horror!

Poor Danny... if it were me, I'd probably have broken something by now, or set something on fire, or something.

Great chapter! Can't wait for the next one!

ANSWER:

Yes, they got Tuck... :(

And I would have too.

CHAPTER ELEVEN QUESTIONS:

QUESTION FROM Me to ShineX:

Uh can you tell me what you meant by "*sigh*, Finally! You'd think he'd tell first thing, jeesh"? I know, I'm an author who can't even remember her own story...

CHAPTER FOURTEEN QUESTIONS:

QUESTION FROM The Feral Candy Cane:

Eh?? EH?

I'm so confused!

Is this what Ax was talking about? Being lost and stuck n stuff?

Good chapter though.

=]

ANSWER:

Uh... uh... *goes to reread chapter 14* Oh the Sario Rip... Uh... I think you got to ask Applegate herself... I took it from book 11...

TRIVIA

Danny is the younger twin between himself and Tobias.

All-if not, most- of the Yeerk names that were not from the books were made by taking some words and rearraging/removing letters.

Danny's birth name is Derek, as said in chapter 15. Danny was the name the Fentons gave him when he became adopted.

Tobias and Danny knew each other for at about a year before he moved to his Uncle's and his Aunt moved from Amity.

Danny knew Tobias before he became friends with Tucker or Sam.

The hologram that Elfangor had in the ship with his human family needed to be touched by Danny for Tobias to appear, and by Tobias for Danny to appear.

In Chapter 16, the person talking in the beginning is not Tucker, or any of the Animorphs. It is really Sam. I have no idea what I was going to do with that part now...

Jinsk and As'in were meant to be either grandchildren or children of the future Danny and someone- maybe Sam- who Tucker watched over.

In the California future Tucker enters in chapter 17, it is a world where Tobias and Danny- who are obviously Talon and Darren here- have lived all their life together as brothers with their father Alan, aka Elfangor. They didn't meet a Tucker before in this world, hence why they didn't recognize future Tucker, despite his lack of limbs/ being a cyborg.

When Danny wakes up in his own time in chapter 18, he believes everything that had happened since chapter 16 was a dream, when he had actually done that in real life, but never knew. In other words, he did have that conversation with future Tucker, Talon and Darren a year before he got his ghost powers, but believed it was an illusion due to a fall that happened right before.

In the last chapter, the gang was on a mission to rescue the parts of the gang that had been turned into Controllers- which, at least includes Rachel, as stated.

In the last chapter, Tobias is in human morph when he notices Danny is on the edge of the cliff.

_**THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR STAYING WITH ME THIS LONG! I WILL MAKE A SEQUAL, AS PROMISED. THIS IS THE END OF GHOST OR ALIEN? BUT ONLY THE BEGINNING OF SOMETHING NEW...**_


End file.
